Taste and use

That's what makes this rice from Kerala so special:

• Taste: Mullankaima" rice is very aromatic, similar to "Basmati". It has a little more bite than the tender "Gandhakasala" rice.
• Quality features: This ancient variety is raw rice that is not steamed before being milled in the rice mill. Mullankaima rice is prized in Kerala as a festive rice because it is very aromatic.
• Use: The use of "Mullankaima" is similar to "Basmati" rice. Depending on the desired consistency, it takes 10-15 minutes to cook. In South India, it is used to make biryanis and desserts, for example. It is suitable for rice pudding or as a side dish with vegetables or fish. You can find Indian recipes and more on our Blog.

Cultivation and ecology

This is how "Mullankaima" rice is grown:

• Cultivation method: Organic cultivation without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This rice is grown by farmers from the "Fair Trade Alliance Kerala", which is committed to the environmentally friendly cultivation of traditional varieties. This is a reaction to increasingly industrialized agriculture and the disappearance of rice cultivation in the Wayanad highlands. As an alternative to conventional ginger and banana cultivation, rice is grown in the humid plains without any pesticides or artificial fertilizers. In a season in which the harvest is small, we reserve the right to withdraw the rice from our range so as not to compete with the local supply.
• Producers: The small farms of the members of the "Fair Trade Alliance Kerala" are on average just one hectare in size. The farmers grow a wide variety of products for export, for the local village markets, but also for themselves. Many have an additional income because family members work in the city or even abroad and support the farming families.

This is how the price is made up

The producers receive USD 0.35 per kilogram of raw rice in husk. We pay USD 4.50 per kilogram of husked and polished rice.

Cultivation & processing CHF 8.37

• Cultivation and harvesting: Fair Trade Alliance Kerala
• Processing and export: FTAK & local mills, Elements Homestead Products

Transport & logistics CHF 4.75

• Export and logistics: Unilogistics
• Fees: Customs, réservesuisse
• Quality assurance: SQTS laboratory
• Packaging: Zurich plant
• Shipping: Post

Procurement & distribution CHF 4.86

• Coordination, communication, online market: Crowd Container