Bhalia Wheat

Local residents of Gujarat believe that the wheat grown on a large scale in the region called Bhal derives its name from the Sanskrit word bhal, which means 'head', because the region also looks flat like a head. . It sounds strange, but in reality the land here is very flat and greenery is not visible anywhere far and wide. This wheat is also called as Bhalia wheat and Dodh Kani (Dawood Khani) or Chasia wheat or Katha wheat in the local language, which grows here only in special geographical conditions. This long grain wheat is one and a half times longer than other varieties of wheat. It does not require irrigation or rain water to grow, for this the moisture stored in the soil and winter dew is enough. Bhalia wheat is cultivated in the areas of Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar and Khambat in Gujarat. Local residents say that this wheat has been cultivated for centuries without irrigation, that is, only with the conserved moisture in the soil. It grows well in rainwater drained, light or medium black soils, in Bhal and its adjoining coastal areas. During the rainy season, farmers build bunds 45 to 60 cm high around the fields to collect rainwater. After the monsoon is over, the plowing of the land is done with the help of oxen. This process is repeated again to create a finer soil layer, called a penh, which acts as a layer of grass in the soil to retain soil moisture. Usually sowing is done in late October or early November. Wheat does not get rainwater nor is it irrigated after sowing, but it continues to flourish under these conditions. It is harvested with a laugh. A threshing machine is used to remove the peel on top of it or a truck is driven over them. These are thoroughly dried before storage, as the storage life of grain depends on its moisture content (less than 10% moisture is preferred). This high quality wheat is considered the best in Gujarat due to its exquisite taste and rich protein content. This wheat absorbs oil and water in small amounts and is also an insect repellent due to its unique quality. Whole wheat being hard grained, rich in protein and high in carotene content, it is used in abundance for making rava, pasta, macaroni, spaghetti and vermicelli. This wheat is consumed in the form of bhakri and chapati. Laddu, churma, halwa and thuli are also made from it due to the high soluble sugar in it. About 1.7-1.8 lakh tonnes of wheat is produced annually in 2 lakh hectares of land. The farmers of Bhal region get 25 per cent premium over other wheat varieties and 40-50 per cent higher price as compared to ordinary wheat varieties. Bhalia wheat, which is sold under the name Gujarat's wheat (GW)-1, got Geographical Indication Tag (GI) in 2011 due to its high variety, taste and distinctive qualities.