Punjab, Madhya Pradesh Face-To-Face Over GI Tagging Of Basmati Rice
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that Madhya Pradesh should not get Geographical Indication (GI) tag for aromatic basmati rice.
Amarinder Singh said that Punjab and some other states have the GI tag for Basmati and if Madhya Pradesh will also be given GI tag for Basmati, then it will negatively impact the farmers and basmati exporters of the country.
Basmati rice is famous for its fragrance and taste. Apart from Punjab, it is cultivated in select districts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. India exports basmati rice to the tune of Rs 33,000 crore annually to other countries. All India Rice Exporters Association has also voiced opposition against MP’s claim for GI tagging for basmati. CM Amarinder Singh pointed out that MP did not fall under the specialised zone for basmati cultivation. Madhya Pradesh’s move is a direct violation of the GI tagging procedure and laws. By doing this, the purpose of GI tagging will be lost. He said that the integration of GI tagging will affect the farmers of other states. However, on the letter of Captain Amarinder Singh, MP CM CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan retaliated that Basmati exporters of Punjab and Haryana are buying Basmati rice from Madhya Pradesh. The central government's export data confirms this. The central government has been supplying basmati rice breeder seeds to Madhya Pradesh since the year 1999. CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan asked Amarinder Singh that what animosity he has with the farmer brothers of Madhya Pradesh? “This is not the issue of Madhya Pradesh or Punjab, it’s a subject concerning the country’s farmers and their livelihood. GI tagging allotment will provide stability to basmati prices in international markets and boost our exports,” Chouhan said.
Basmati rice is famous for its fragrance and taste. Apart from Punjab, it is cultivated in select districts of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. India exports basmati rice to the tune of Rs 33,000 crore annually to other countries. All India Rice Exporters Association has also voiced opposition against MP’s claim for GI tagging for basmati. CM Amarinder Singh pointed out that MP did not fall under the specialised zone for basmati cultivation. Madhya Pradesh’s move is a direct violation of the GI tagging procedure and laws. By doing this, the purpose of GI tagging will be lost. He said that the integration of GI tagging will affect the farmers of other states. However, on the letter of Captain Amarinder Singh, MP CM CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan retaliated that Basmati exporters of Punjab and Haryana are buying Basmati rice from Madhya Pradesh. The central government's export data confirms this. The central government has been supplying basmati rice breeder seeds to Madhya Pradesh since the year 1999. CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan asked Amarinder Singh that what animosity he has with the farmer brothers of Madhya Pradesh? “This is not the issue of Madhya Pradesh or Punjab, it’s a subject concerning the country’s farmers and their livelihood. GI tagging allotment will provide stability to basmati prices in international markets and boost our exports,” Chouhan said.
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