The first-ever recorded reference to basmati rice is found in the epic Indian poem Heeranja dated 1766. Now Pakistan is challenging India's ownership of the basmati Rice after two and half centuries. India has applied for an exclusive trademark that would grant its sole ownership of the Basmati title in the European Union. India's move is essential to protect its culinary heritage. However, Pakistan rice producers claim this would destroy the livelihood of Pakistan farmers and rice producers.
"Ninety per cent of our work is with basmati rice. We purchase basmati rice from our farmers, so our factories will shut down, and we can't produce too much, so this is like directly dropping an atomic bomb on us."
It is according to Ghulam Murtaza, Co-owner of Al-Barkat Rice Mills, Pakistan.
In July 2018, India applied for protected geographical indication or PGI status for Basmati before the EU. It is a method of granting intellectual property rights for goods produced within a geographical area. Pakistan has challenged India's application.
"India has caused all this fast over there so they can somehow grab one of our target markets our entire rice industry is affected by "
-Pakistan Rice producers association
The Indian process gathered steam after a recent India EU trade summit basmati has been a registered gi in India since 2016. Seven states produce a unique variety of while this variety of rice has grown only in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
Historical claims of Basmati in India
- Epic Ranja of 1766
- Reports to the UK house of commons in 1874.
- the Paris and Vienna universal exhibitions of 1867 and 1873, which all mention Indian basmati rice
- French, Spanish, and Moroccan courts have also rejected the basmati trademark for rice grown outside India
Over the last two decades, India has taken steps to protect the legal status of the basmati, including DNA testing, and while Pakistan has not taken any such steps, it does claim a joint heritage.
"When it comes to India and Pakistan historically, we have not been good friends, and in the coming future, we expect our relations to improve, which means that if the decision of a joint heritage comes up, it's a win-win situation for both countries and both countries should be happy with it."
India is the world's top exporter of basmati rice. According to EU rules, the country exported more than 44 lakh tons of basmati from 2018 to 2019, while Pakistan exported about an eighth of that. The two countries must try to negotiate an amicable resolution by September Pakistan is a recent country it was following the partition of India that the state was created, so obviously, historically, the reputation and geographic area are common to India and Pakistan. Pakistan hopes to convince India to submit a joint application for basmati. If an agreement cannot be reached and the EU rules in India's favour, Pakistan would have the option of approaching the European courts.
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