Taste and use

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

• Taste: Gandhakasala rice is an aromatic rice variety, similar to basmati. However, it is softer and more tender to the bite than the North Indian variety.
• Quality features: This old variety is a so-called raw rice that is not steamed before being ground in the rice mill. Gandhakasala rice is prized in Kerala as a festive rice because it is very aromatic.
• Use: The small grains of "Gandhakasala" rice are cooked quickly (8-12 minutes) and taste similar to "Basmati" rice. It goes well with Indian dishes with coconut, vegetables and fish. You can find Indian recipes and more on our Blog.

Cultivation and ecology

This is how "Gandhakasala" rice is grown:

• Cultivation method: Organic cultivation without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This rice is grown by farmers from the "Fair Trade Alliance Kerala" cooperative, who are committed to the environmentally friendly cultivation of traditional varieties. This is in response 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