Njavara nellu (Oriza sativa) is the common rice produced from almost all rice producing areas of the world. Rice is the staple food of Kerala.

Nellu (paddy) is grown in paddy fields rich in natural population of frogs, snake, birds etc which look into the matters of pest control – insects and rats are naturally removed this way, without the application of any harmful chemicals. Paddy fields require water logging during the growth phase of paddy grass, till the time of harvest, when the water is drained off and the field kept dry.

After harvesting the grains are separated from the plants and the outer husk is removed for final use as rice.

Njavara rice also forms the base of njavara kizhi, which is a kind of treatment which includes massaging the body with njavara rice lobbed in small cotton bag and dipped in medicated oil.

This crop is also an important provider of carbohydrate to about 20 % of humankind.

Oryza sativa belongs to the family Poaceae.

Koova, commonly called arrowroot is a group of ginger like plants with sizes ranging from less than two feet to six feet and color from white to dark purple. The underground stem of the plant is the usable part, which yields flour. The rhizome is also eaten boiled. Flouring is necessary for better preservation and for making different culinary items like biscuits.

The cultivation of this crop is largely on decline in the state.

It has medicinal properties and is used in curing disorders to stomach.

Maranta arundinaceae belongs to the family Marantaceae.

Sugarcane is a grass plant that grows up to 2.5 meters, yielding fleshy sappy stem, from which sugar is produced.

In India, sugarcane seedlings are planted in plantations. The harvesting time is when the leaves starting drying off. In some places the whole sugar cane plantation is set on fire. The dry leaves quickly burn down. The fleshy cane remains unaffected, which is cut at the base. The sugarcane thus harvested in then sent to extraction of sugarcane juice from the stem followed by refining. The refined sugar is 99% sucrose, a combination of glucose and fructose.

Jaggery is also produced from sugarcane.

The cane from which sugar is extracted is used for production of paper.

The people of the areas of sugarcane production also make several drinks and preparations with sugarcane extracts. Sugarcane juice is prepared by crushing the sugarcane in a hand operated mill and added with some lemon and ice. This is a delicious drink at country festivals and fairs.