'Roti' unravelled: 'DNA' presents wheat wisdom

Though wheat is the staple food of Gujaratis many of us cannot even differentiate between various varieties of wheat.  This is particularly happening because of the changing lifestyles.

“Many people can not even differentiate between Rajwadi and Sharbati (MP) as well as Rajwadi and Daud-khani varieties of wheat,” said Kamlesh Shah, the secretary of Ahmedabad Grain Merchants Association.

Every household in the state follows a tradition of storing wheat during the crop season i.e., March to May every year. However, with the changing lifestyles, the tradition is gradually fading out, particularly in the cities and towns.

Nowadays people are more prone to using ready-made wheat flour, avoiding the hassles owing to time constraints. 
However this year your staple diet will cost you more compared to last year. “The average price of wheat will range from Rs1,400 to Rs1,700 per 100 kg this year, which is on the higher side compared to last year’s price range of Rs1,200 to Rs1,500 per 100 kg,” said Shah.

Gujarat Tukdi, Sharbati, Daud-khani, Lokvan and Malavraj are some of the wheat available in Gujarat. Daud-khani, the non-irrigated variety of wheat, which is mainly produced in the Bhal region of the state, is considered to be the highest quality of wheat in Gujarat. But when it comes to consumption, Lokvan tops the list in the state.