A online panel discussion on Telangana Sona Rice saw speakers, led by a senior government official, highlighting the health benefits of the rice and the need to tap its export potential.
Addressing the programme on ‘Agricultural Innovations and Consumer Markets: Benefits and Challenges for Telangana Sona Rice’, organised by Indian School of Business (ISB) on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary B.Janardhan Reddy said the rice variety can become a new, healthy food preference.
Telangana Sona Rice, which has low glycemic index (GI), can contribute to building a healthier India and address lifestyle issues like diabetes. With its intrinsic health benefits and enhanced production in the State, the new paddy variety has good potential reach out to various consumers across the globe. The need is to catch the imagination of consumers on its health benefits and also build upon the export potential, he said, urging ISB to work closely with all the stakeholders and take this initiative forward.
Developed by scientists of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU), Telangana Sona (RNR-15048) superfine variety rice has low glycemic index and higher protein, carbohydrates, energy and vitamin B3. A few months ago, the State Agriculture Department, PJTSAU and ISB signed an agreement on strategic branding and marketing of Telangana Sona rice.
PJTSAU Vice Chancellor V. Praveen Rao told the panel discussion that Telangana Sona Rice gels with local climatic conditions and is a disease resistant, short duration crop with high protein content and low glycemic index. PJTSAU adopted a multi-pronged approach in terms partnerships, innovations, research, mapping, value chain in offering more value to the stakeholders, he said.
Senior Assistant Professor Marketing at ISB Madhu Viswanathan, the lead faculty for Telangana Sona, shared his insights on how the branding and marketing study for the rice was carried out.
The results show that there is a need for segmentation specific positioning strategy covering both health and taste attributes of the rice to reach the mass market.
Founder of The Great Hyderabad Food and Travel Club M.Ravikanth Reddy underscored the significance of promoting the health benefits of the rice variety by adopting a holistic marketing approach. Dean Research of ISB Manish Gangwar and Director, ISB-Centre for Business Markets D.V.R. Seshadri spoke, a release from the business school said.