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{{Short description|Type of non-Basmati aromatic rice from West Bengal, India}}
{{Infobox geographical indication
| name = Kalonunia rice (কলোনুনিয়া চাল)
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| alternative names =
| description =Kalonunia rice is an aromatic rice cultivated in [[West Bengal]]
| type =[[Aromatic rice]]
| area = Northern parts of West Bengal<ref>{{cite journal |title=Kalo Nunia: The Indigenous Scented Rice Cultivar from the Northern Parts of Bengal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378491190 |journal=Vigyan Varta | volume =5 | issue=2 | pages=152–157}}</ref>
| country = [[India]]
| registered = 02 January 2024
| material =
| official website ={{URL|https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GirPublic/Application/Details/743|ipindiaservices.gov.in}}}}

'''Kalonunia rice''' is a variety of non-[[Basmati]], aromatic, black textured small [[rice]] mainly grown in the [[State of India|Indian state]] of [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Evaluation of indigenous aromatic rice cultivars from sub-Himalayan Terai region of India for nutritional attributes and blast resistance |date=2021 |pmc=7910543 |last1=Mondal |first1=D. |last2=Kantamraju |first2=P. |last3=Jha |first3=S. |last4=Sundarrao |first4=G. S. |last5=Bhowmik |first5=A. |last6=Chakdar |first6=H. |last7=Mandal |first7=S. |last8=Sahana |first8=N. |last9=Roy |first9=B. |last10=Bhattacharya |first10=P. M. |last11=Chowdhury |first11=A. K. |last12=Choudhury |first12=A. |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=4786 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-83921-7 |pmid=33637778 |bibcode=2021NatSR..11.4786M }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Honey, Tangail, Garad among 5 more West Bengal products to get GI tag |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/honey-tangail-garad-among-5-more-state-products-to-get-gi-tag/articleshow/106557464.cms |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=The Times of India |date=5 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bharat |first1=E. T. V. |title=Five Bengal products including Sundarbans honey get GI tag |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/english/state/west-bengal/five-bengal-products-including-sundarbans-honey-get-gi-tag/na20240104170827022022873 |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=ETV Bharat News |date=4 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref> It is a common and widely cultivated crop in [[District|districts]] of [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]], [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]] and [[Alipurduar district|Alipurduar]] along with some parts of [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] & [[Kalimpong district|Kalimpong]] districts of West Bengal.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bengal's own Gobindabhog and Tulaipanji soon to get a distinct stand on world map |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/how-new-grading-rules-for-non-basmati-rice-varieties-can-put-gobindabhog-on-world-map-9091192/ |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=The Indian Express |date=2 January 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Khush |first1=Gurdev S. |last2=Hettel |first2=Gene |last3=Rola |first3=Tess |title=Rice Genetics III: Proceedings of the Third International Rice Genetics Symposium, Manila, Philippines, 16-20 October 1995 |date=1996 |publisher=Int. Rice Res. Inst. |isbn=978-971-22-0087-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_hKLjbOuBEC&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PA823 |access-date=23 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Roychoudhury |first1=Aryadeep |title=Rice Research for Quality Improvement: Genomics and Genetic Engineering: Volume 2: Nutrient Biofortification and Herbicide and Biotic Stress Resistance in Rice |date=29 July 2020 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-981-15-5337-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6RL0DwAAQBAJ&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PA393 |access-date=23 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sarker |first1=Dilip De |last2=Saha |first2=Manas Ranjan |last3=Saha |first3=Subrata |title=Perspective of dietetic and antioxidant medicinal plants |date=1 January 2015 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-93-84878-95-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YTrECQAAQBAJ&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PT20 |language=en}}</ref>

Under its [[Geographical Indications in India|Geographical Indication]] tag, it is referred to as "Kalonunia Rice".<ref name=":0" />

==Name==
The word "Kalonunia" is derived from "Kalo", meaning black in the state language of [[Bengali language|Bengali]], representing the black-husked grain, and "Nunia", indicating a local rice group of West Bengal. Kalonunia is also reported as Kala nenia, Kala nina, or Kala nooniah.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Effect of organic nutrient management on yield, quality, nutrient uptake andeconomics of aromatic rice (Oryza sativa) in hill zone of West Bengal |url=https://pub.isa-india.in/index.php/ija/article/view/5468/5058 |journal=Indian Journal of Agronomy |date=2024 |doi=10.59797/ija.v68i4.5468 |access-date=23 November 2024 |last1=Sanjivani Karki |last2=Mrityunjay Ghosh |last3=Binoy Chettri |last4=s. Banerjee |last5=t. Biswas |last6=p. Bandyopadhyay |last7=s. Ghosh |volume=68 |issue=4 |pages=434–438 }}</ref>

===Local name===
It is known as Kalonunia chaal (কলোনুনিয়া চাল) or simply only as Kalonunia.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Business Ideas: স্বাদে গুণে অতুলনীয় কালো নুনিয়ার চাষে মোটা টাকা লাভ, কী এই জিনিস ? জেনে নিন |url=https://bengali.news18.com/photogallery/business/new-business-ideas-make-money-with-black-rice-cultivation-know-the-process-in-details-l18-dc-local18-1943899.html |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=bengali.news18.com |language=bn}}</ref> "Chaal" means rice in the local state language of [[Bengali language|Bengali]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yates |first1=William |title=Introduction to the Bengali Language |date=1874 |publisher=G.H. Rouse, Baptist Mission Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9qdHAQAAMAAJ&dq=%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2+rice&pg=PA428 |access-date=23 November 2024 |language=bn}}</ref>

==Description==
Some of the uses and characteristics of Kalonunia rice:<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nations |first1=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United |title=FUTURE SMART FOOD: Rediscovering hidden treasures of neglected and underutilized species for Zero Hunger in Asia |date=9 October 2018 |publisher=Food & Agriculture Org. |isbn=978-92-5-130495-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J6hxDwAAQBAJ&dq=Kalonunia+rice+gi&pg=PA203 |access-date=23 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ghosal |first1=Sutanuka |title=After Rosogolla, Bengal plans GI tags for Kalonunia, Randhunipagal rice |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/after-rosogolla-bengal-plans-gi-tags-for-kalonunia-randhunipagal-rice/articleshow/61980674.cms?from=mdr |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=The Economic Times |date=8 December 2017}}</ref>

===Characteristics===
* It is noted for its vibrant black husk appearance and non-sticky texture. This blast resistant rice variety has a wide genetic base providing protection against pests, diseases, pathogens, and climate fluctuations. It also requires less fertilizer compared to other varieties.

===Uses===
* This rice is used as an everyday plain rice, as an alternative to Basmati. It is also used to prepare traditional sweet dishes, grain dust for local sweet dishes like [[Pitha|Pithe]] and Patisapta, and [[Payesh]] during rituals and special functions. Additionally, it is used to make [[puffed rice]], known locally as Muri, Bhat, and in the preparation of Bhat (boiled rice), [[Pilaf|Polao]], or Bhog ([[Khichdi (dish)|Khichdi]]).

==Geographical indication==
It was awarded the [[List of geographical indications in India|Geographical Indication]] (GI) status tag from the [[Geographical Indication Registry (India)|Geographical Indications Registry]] under the [[Government of India|Union Government of India]] on 2 January 2024 (valid until 11 March 2034).

State Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) from [[Narendrapur]], proposed the GI registration of Kalonunia rice. After filing the application in March 2021, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2024 by the Geographical Indication Registry in [[Chennai]], making the name "Kalonunia rice" exclusive to the rice grown in the region.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Kalonunia Rice |url=https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/743 |website=Intellectual Property India |access-date=23 November 2024}}</ref> It thus became the third rice variety from West Bengal after [[Tulaipanji rice]] and the 26th type of goods from West Bengal to earn the GI tag.

The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Varieties of rice}}
{{Geographical indications in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Rice varieties]]
[[Category:Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:GI Tagged Rice varieties of India]]
[[Category:Rice production in India]]
[[Category:Economy of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Agriculture in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Geographical indications in West Bengal]]

Kalonunia rice - Revision history

HungHanks23355 at 20:28, 31 January 2026