Basumati rice from even Kerala?
| It is reported that even the state of Kerala has taken up the cultivation of basumati rice.The problem is, can basumati grown in Kerala get protection as a Geographic Indication ? If it can, then perhaps so for Rice Tec also.Like Rice Tec varieties ! Pusa Basumati , which is perhaps the one used by the Kerala farmer, is photo-insensitive and can also be grown anywhere in the country and it does not require the 'special' conditions of the Himalayas/Shivalik foothills for the grain to acquire its characteristic traits of aroma,non-stickiness and elongation upon cooking.So the main issue is, if rice grown in Kerala and possessing all the desired traits can be called basumati, then why not similar improved rice strains cultivated in Texas too called basumati ? Perhaps the WTO cell of the Kerala government has to seriously ponder on the issue and guide the farmers accordingly. |