High-yielding breed of zinc-rich Aman rice has been unveiled in Bangladesh

A new type of high-yielding breed of Aman rice has been unveiled in Bangladesh.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said Bangladesh was the first country to release seeds of the zinc-rich Bri-62.

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has invented this breed, she said at Monday's press briefing.

"It is not genetically modified (GM) type," Matia said. "This breed has been invented by pollination with local rice breed."

Each kilogramme of this type of rice will contain 19 milligrams of zinc and nine percent protein which will ensure nutrition values and help prevent diseases, according to the minister.

Zinc plays an important role in preventing intestinal diseases.

BRRI officials said the Bri-62 will yield crops within 105 days – the least time among different varieties of rice produced during the Aman season.

The medium-sized rice will yield 4.2 metric tonnes of crop in each hectare, they said.

The minister said seeds of the new breed will be supplied to the farmers from the forthcoming Aman season in December-January.

Campaigns will be launched to encourage the farmers to adopt the breed, she said.