Pakistan has received the Geographical Indicator (GI) tag for its Basmati rice, paving the way for creating a local registry for this particular strain of aromatic rice and making a case in the world markets for its protection as a Pakistani product.
Basmati rice is well known all over the world for its excellent cooking, extra long grain, very unique and excellent taste and nutty aroma.
Exporters and business leaders say having the tag will strengthen Pakistan’s case against India in the European Union.
Since Basmati brand rice fetches higher prices than non-basmati rice in international markets, India had attempted to block Pakistan’s trade in the European Union by declaring that this particular strain is the geographically original one.
Pakistan has challenged this claim and by registering the GI for basmati, the country will claim the same protection of its basmati in EU as India.
Basmati, known as the king of rice, is grown in the province of Punjab.
Nearly 70 percent of Pakistan’s Basmati produce is exported.
“I am glad to inform that Pakistan has registered Basmati Rice as Geographical Indication (GI) under Geographical Indications Act 2020. Under this Act, a GI registry has been formed which will register GIs and maintain the basic record of proprietors & authorized users of GI,” announced Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood .
“This will provide protection of our products against misuse or imitation & hence will guarantee that their share in int’l market is protected. I encourage you to send your suggestions of products that can be registered as GIs to the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan. 2/2,” Razak Dawood said in a Twitter message.
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) says registration of basmati as a GI in the country required cooperation between the public and private sector. The Trade and Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) was designated as a Registrant of Basmati by the federal government. TDAP made an application to register Basmati to Intellectual Property Organisation (IPO).
In this regard, the IPO sought assistance from the country’s leading research institution, Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku, and exporters’s body, REPA.
Regions, where Basmati is grown in the South Asian country, was mapped by the IPO following recommendations from all the provinces. The process followed by the IPO has been an inclusive one and brought all the stakeholders on one table, REAP said.
