There has been a debate in the country about Basmati rice. The demand for GI (Geographical Indication) tag for basmati rice grown in Madhya Pradesh has sparked a debate in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Congress-ruled Punjab. Demand for its geographical signal has increased in Madhya Pradesh and Pejba is opposing it. Let us know what is the dispute between the two states regarding Basmati rice…

Basmati rice holder

At present, the ownership of the geographical indication for Basmati rice comes under the Agriculture and Processed Food Export Development Authority under the Ministry of Commerce. Geographical indications indicate that Basmati rice is found in the Indo-Gangetic plains as a specially grown long-grain rice.

It covers parts of Punjab, Haryana, Western UP, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Jammu, and Kashmir. Apart from India, Basmati rice is grown in Punjab province of Pakistan and here too rights are given regarding the geographical indication of Basmati rice.

Basmati rice contender

It took India seven years to get the geographical indication of basmati rice. India is the largest producer and exporter of basmati rice, with India holding 85% of the global basmati trade. Madhya Pradesh's fight for Basmati rice is not new.

In 2016, when the geographical indication for Basmati rice has been given, Madhya Pradesh filed a petition in the Madras High Court to include its rice variety.

Risk related to basmati rice

Madhya Pradesh's demand to get tagged with the geographical indication of basmati rice will lead many countries, including China, to claim this and besides India, China is also the largest producer of rice. According to APEDA, there is a history of 200 years behind growing Basmati rice.

What is the way left?

Although Punjab says that any state dilution of GI tag registration can benefit Pakistan in the international market, but Madhya Pradesh says its claim is under India's GI Act and linked to inter-country claims Is not.

Eventually, West Bengal and Odisha went on a 'war' over the GI tag for Rasgulla, but the matter was later settled as Odisha Rasogola got the GI tag in 2019. Here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a scheme of one lakh crore rupees under the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund.

Apart from this, Prime Minister Modi has released Rs 17,000 crore for the sixth installment under PM Kisan Samman Yojana.