Bhalia wheat facts for kids

A field of Bhalia Wheat growing in the Bhal region.

Bhalia Wheat ready for sale in the market.

Bhalia Wheat is a special kind of wheat with long grains. It is also known as Daudkhani Wheat. Farmers grow this wheat in the Bhal region of Gujarat, India. This area is located north of the Gulf of Khambhat. In 2011, Bhalia Wheat received a special tag called a Geographic Indication.

Where Bhalia Wheat Grows

The Bhal region is in India, between the cities of Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar. This is where Bhalia Wheat has been grown for a very long time, even before India became independent.

Farmers grow this wheat in many areas. These include Dhandhuka, Dholka, and Bavla in Ahmedabad district. It also grows in Limbdi in Surendranagar district, Vallabhipur in Bhavnagar district, and parts of Anand, Kheda, and Bharuch districts.

What is a Geographic Indication?

A Geographic Indication (GI) is like a special label. It shows that a product comes from a certain place. It also means the product has qualities or a reputation because of where it comes from. Bhalia Wheat got this GI tag in 2011. This was with help from the Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation and Anand Agricultural University.

What Bhalia Wheat is Used For

Bhalia Wheat is great for making semolina. Semolina is a coarse flour. This flour is then used to make many yummy foods. These include pasta, macaroni, pizza, spaghetti, vermicelli, and noodles. A popular type of Bhalia Wheat in Gujarat is called Gujarat Wheat-1.

How Bhalia Wheat is Grown

Farmers start planting Bhalia Wheat in late October or early November. They wait until the rainwater has drained away into the gulf. The wheat is then ready to be harvested in March or April.

About 170,000 to 180,000 metric tons of this wheat are grown each year. This happens across about 200,000 hectares of land. A special thing about Bhalia Wheat is that it does not need extra watering or rain. It grows using the moisture already in the soil.

Nutrition in Bhalia Wheat

Bhalia Wheat is very good for you. It has a lot of Gluten, which is a type of protein. It is also rich in other proteins. This wheat also contains a high amount of carotene. Carotene is a natural pigment found in many plants. Bhalia Wheat also does not absorb much water when cooked.