How many times have you looked at coriander leaves or enjoyed its texture? Because it is such a universal ingredient and readily available in food dishes, this versatile herbal cum spice is of little value.
Gopal Dut Upreti, an organic farmer from Bilkesh village (Ranikhet) in Uttarakhand, did not pay attention to his coriander plants until he entered the Guinness Book of World Records on April 21 this year.
The 47-year-old coriander plant has acquired the title of world's tallest coriander plant at 7.1 feet (2.16 m) using traditional Himalayan farming techniques.
In an interesting twist, Gopal revealed to me that his record-breaking coriander is there only to protect his apple orchards from insect attacks and pests. He never intended to popularize his coriander variety, let alone the world record.
Uttarakhand Man grows the world's tallest coriander plant
“Coriander is easy to grow and gives flowers that attract butterflies and bees. At the same time, it acts as a pest repellent for flies, mosquitoes and fruit flies. See the benefits, I planted coriander in 2015 and the rest is history, ”Gopal tells The Better India.
According to Gopal, he used no special methods, nor added any secret ingredients to increase the height of the plants. In fact, he says, he realized that when the farmers and visitors of the village were amazed at the extraordinary heights, they were different.
“The average height of coriander in India is 2-3 feet, and in 2018 my plant height has reached 5 feet. At the encouragement of my friend, I applied for the Limca Book of Records and received the title. For Guinness, I had to compete against a 5.9-foot-tall plant, so I waited for mine to grow, ”he says.
Uttarakhand Man grows the world's tallest coriander plant
Gopal Dutt Upreti
Gopal has now applied for a patent for his seed variety, which was collected from his kitchen.
Although their ancestors once practiced traditional agriculture, a new generation switched to corporate jobs for fixed income. Gopal too migrated to D
Gopal spent three years learning about the latest agricultural technologies, market rates, soil conditions in his village and so on