After the Asia cup match between India & Pakistan it’s the India-Pakistan basmati row that is now drawing everyone’s attention. The two major producers of basmati rice, India & Pakistan are now raising disputes over the trademark protection for basmati rice. The dispute over the protected status of basmati rice is gradually adding to tensions between India and Pakistan, thus potentially posing challenges to New Delhi’s efforts to secure a trade agreement with the European Union. The dispute is not only delaying the trade talks with EU but also straining India Pakistan relations.
India- Pakistan Major Producer of Basmati Rice Claim Exclusive Rights to Basmati, Claiming it to Specific Regions
Worthless to say India and Pakistan are the world’s largest producers of basmati rice, hence both the nations claim exclusive rights to the name “basmati.” In what can be called as a rice export competition, they want to limit the label to rice grown in specific regions, which will significantly allow producers to sell at higher price. Once the premium rice gets labelled as a rice grown in specific regions, basmati rice prices will soar impacting the consumers of premium rice variety.
India Pakistan ties Strained Again
EU negotiators who are in the capital to seal a trade agreement are being asked to accept India’s right to use the designation basmati, however accepting India’s right to use the designation basmati would cause a diplomatic rift with Islamabad. However, it’s worth to know that given the Strict MRL standards for pesticides in the European Union led to a major setback for the Pakistan’s Basmati exports to EU.
India has already waited seven years for its application to protect the term in the EU market to be recognised and is “growing impatient.” In 2023, Pakistan filed its own application to define the rice’s production area and methods, including four districts in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Basmati rice is a symbol of pride for both India and Pakistan. It is mostly cultivated in the paddies of historic Punjab, the breadbasket region now divided between the arch-rivals who have fought numerous wars over the disputed Kashmir territory.