Govt eyes EU market, to notify Super Basmati

Notwithstanding the recent bonhomie between India and Pakistan, the government is likely to notify "Super Basmati""" an evolved variety of rice "" as a grade of basmati grown in India.

The move is expected to help Indian exporters corner a chunk of the European basmati market, largely fed by Pakistan.

Besides, officials were of the opinion that in case the European Union decided to provide duty abatement of 250 euro per tonne, the Indian exporters would also be eligible for the sop and this would help them compete with their competitors from across the border.

It is for this reason that India has decided to brand the rice "Super Basmati", though officials also contemplated giving the variety a different name.

The European market for "Super", exported by Pakistan, is estimated at around 90,000 tonnes a year.

The agriculture ministry is expected to notify the new basmati variety in next few days.

Officials said Super Basmati was not a new variety that had been developed but was already grown in India, particularly in Punjab where the Punjab Agricultural University had released seeds in the state for cultivation.

The Central Seeds Release Committee was also being asked to ensure that Super Basmati seeds were available in large quantities in the basmati growing states in north India.

Experts, however, said the move could adversely affect Pusa I exports, which accounted for about 60 per cent of India's basmati exports and 70 per cent of basmati acreage. Government officials said that Pusa exports could be affected only marginally since a majority of India's basmati exports were to countries in the middle East.

"After contemplating the move for sometime we have decided to go ahead with it because super accounted for a larger marketshare and commands higher price. If there is a demand for it we should also sell it," an official said.