By Our Correspondent, Inaruwa, Apr. 13:Farmer Ram Lal Mehta of Gautampur in Harinagar Rural Municipality-3 of Sunsari has started growing sugar-free black wheat, a new variety of crop.

Mehta said that he was amazed to know that wheat is also available in many varieties.

He said that he brought the wheat to the district for the first time after being inspired by his Indian friends, who informed him that demand for black wheat was high all over the world. 

According to him, he brought about 140 kilograms of black wheat seed from his friend and sowed at around four bighas of land in November last year. He had bought the wheat seeds at Rs. 365 per kg.

He said that he has produced about 112 quintals of wheat this year.

According to him, the black wheat discovered by a farmer in India a few years ago after conducting a new research was brought to Nepal.

He said that farmer Binod Chauhan of Madhya Pradesh has been cultivating black wheat for use and now it has been successfully produced in Indore of India and Nepal.

Mehta said that there was no market for black wheat as Nepal was not aware of its demand but it would expand once the consumers come to know about its usefulness.

According to him, the productivity of black wheat is higher than the other species of wheat, and the growing demand for black wheat could lead to an increase in its cultivation.

According to experts, the amount of anthocyanin in black wheat is more than that of normal wheat. It also has high zinc content. Black wheat is sugar-free due to anthocyanin.

Experts said that research on black wheat is still going on.