Hyderabad : The Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) here has developed three rice-based affordable health products, including a moisturising lotion, cream for cracked heels and a pain relieving balm.

The products are rich in Vitamin E as they are derived from rice bran oil and are affordable and low cost, IIRR Director Dr V Ravindra Babu told reporters here yesterday.

Several companies, including ITC, have approached them to promote the products which include a moisturising lotion, cream for cracked heels and a pain-relieving balm in gel form. However, the institute will provide the technology to those who would sell the products at affordable prices, he said.

Ravindra said in view of climate change, the institute has developed rice varieties that can withstand higher temperatures.

Besides, to ensure that farmers have low inputs and more profits, the institute has identified low phosphorous and low nitrogen consuming lines. With this variety, the consumption of fertilisers is only 50 per cent, but it gives better yield.

This way the cost of fertilisers will reduce and benefit farmers, as the cost of input is low and there is better yield, Ravindra said.

The premier research institute based in Hyderabad, which is the part of the state-owned Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), is also working on nutritional food security and for that, a bio- fortification programme has been started two years back.

The 'DRR Dhan 45', the first high zinc rice variety developed at the IIRR, is one of the three bio fortified rice varieties notified at national level.

The IIRR recently received the prestigious Sardar Vallabhai Patel Best Institute Award for its outstanding contribution among the large institutes category under ICAR.

The award was presented by Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh in New Delhi.