Demonstrating benefits of incorporating innovation in farming, a Panvel based resident Minesh Gadgil, hailing from Gulsunde Village has found success in cultivating purple rice on his farm.

A postgraduate in Chemistry and a former Reliance Industries employee, Gadgil left his corporate job in the year 2003 to focus on agricultural research and has consistently experimented with unconventional farming activities. “I am always exploring newer techniques of farming that are unheard of.  The purple rice essentially found in Lebanon is one such attempt to explore whether such cultivation can be done in Indian climate,” said the farmer.

His innovative work in producing fatty acids and alcohols from seed husks has earned him a patent from the Government of India.

He has in the past cultivated rice varieties such as Red Rice, Black Burma Rice, RJ-100 Basmati, RNR Telangana Sona, Blue Indonesian Rice, and Thayomalli Rice.

This year, Gadgil procured 2 kg of Purple Rice seeds from Assam Agricultural University (AAU) and successfully cultivated the crop on an experimental two-guntha plot, yielding over 100 kg of rice. “ In  a country where farming activity is reducing and considered as a loss making venture, my attempt is to showcase the huge potential that is available if only one dares to experiment. Half of the produce I milled it to understand whether it is edible, whether it can be cooked the way it's done in Indian kitchen etc.and remaining I distributed it,” said Gadgil. 

Recognising the potential of farming purple rice as well as to promote the rice, he has distributed the harvested seeds to other interested farmers. “Purple Rice is gaining attention for its rich nutritional profile, containing high amounts of zinc, iron, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and anthocyanins, which give it a deep purple hue.

It is known for its aromatic quality, high fiber content for better digestion, and potential anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and weight-loss properties. If farmers take up cultivating these types of rice instead of the conventional rice they stand to have booming business,” said the agro enthusiast.

To validate the nutritional value of his cultivated rice, Minesh Gadgil has collaborated with Dapoli Krishi Vidyapeeth and Karjat Rice Research Institute for scientific analysis. “ I wanted to research the nutritional value of the rice cultivated so that it can be marketed properly and if any concerns can also be addressed,” he said.

His commitment to organic farming extends beyond rice cultivation—he has also developed organic plant growth promoters that enhance both the quality and yield of crops.