Finanacial Express By ASHOK B SHARMA | March 14, 2004
New Delhi -- The apex research body in the farm sector in the country, the
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has suggested that
the regulatory body for transgenic products should have two
separate divisions, one for agricultural applications and the other for
pharmaceutical and other applications. There should be a separate gene
bank for transgenic constructs.
Though one of its affiliate body, Indian Agricultural Research Institute
(IARI) has developed two Bt transgenic rice namely IR-64 and Pusa Basmati-1
and has conducted bioassay for yellow stem borer resistance, the ICAR has
clearly said "the geographical indications such as Basmati rice should be
kept in tact and untouched by transgenics." The exporters and growers of
Basmati rice are also against growing transgenic Basmati rice as this would
spoil the export market for this premium commodity.
The ICAR has also echoed the industry's demand that "once a transgene is
tested for biosafety, its derivatives should not be evaluated. There is a
need for reduction in levels and number of steps required for biosafety
evaluation and release of GMOs. After environmental release, the crop
variety should be notified and registered under the Seeds Act so as to make
possible for applications of the provisions of the Act for monitoring and
checking spurious seeds plorification."
The ICAR arrived at these conclusions after a national conference on
`Transgenics in Agriculture' held last week. The ICAR recommendations assume
importance in view of the much awaited report of the MS Swaminathan panel
which is deliberating on the role of the regulatory authority for transgenic
crops in the country.
The Union minister of state for agriculture, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav
inaugurating the conference, however, said that the scientists while
developing transgenic crops should ensure that their efforts are not
directed towards changing the basic inherent quality of the crops endowed by
nature. He also said that the scientists need to study to what extent the
transgenic technology will be helpful in ensuring food and nutritional
security as against the conventional technology.
The ICAR has asked for clearly spelling out the biosafety parameters and
has urged for developing biosafety guidelines and procedures for transgenic
acquatic animals. It has suggested that the post-release monitoring of GM
crops should be looked after by the agriculture and environment ministries.
Another set of VCU trials after the approval by the regulatory body may be
taken up the applicant seed company in farmers' fields in collaboration with
agriculture universities.
The ICAR is of the view that the clearance of GM crops should be without
delay. In fact the ICAR system has decided to develop transgenic varieties
of 14 select crops and most of them are in experimental stage. Madurai
Kamaraj University has developed transgenic rohu fish and catfish.
Transgenic rice will be developed for stem borer and fungal resistance.
While transgenic sorghum and maize will be developed for stem borer
resistance, transgenic pigeonpea and chick pea will be developed for pod
borer resistance.
ICAR will also develop transgenic cotton for bollworm and virus resistance
and transgenic brassica for aphid and drought resistance. It will develop
transgenic tomato and brinjal for fruit borer resistance and the transgenic
tomato will also be for delayed ripening and virus resistance. A number of
transgenic crops like soyabean, potato, banana and papaya will be developed
for virus resistance. The transgenic banana will also be for fungal
resistance.
The ICAR director-general, Dr Mangla Rai said "the Planning Commission has
recently given clearance to develop transgenics in these select crops and we
plan to go ahead. These transgenic crops will be developed out of the Rs 40
crore fund earmarked for the purpose in the 10th Plan."
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FARM FRONT Column in the Commodity Watch Page
India, Pakistan Should Focus On Other Aromatic Rice Varieties
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=54785
ASHOK B SHARMA
The rice exporters of India and Pakistan signed an agreement to jointly
protect the geographical indications on Basmati rice and promote its
marketing abroad. This agreement was signed in Delhi just three days ahead
of the fourth meeting on the Code of Practice on Basmati Rice Trade Within
European Union convened by UK government's Food Standards Agency (FSA).
This meeting on code of practice on Basmati rice begins on Monday. The
European Union has allowed duty derogation of euro 250 per tonne for imports
of only Basmati 370, Taraori Basmati, Type 3 (Dehraduni), Basmati 386,
Basmati 217, Ranbir and Kernal, which are considered to have some pure
parental lines. Out of these varieties Pakistan grows Kernal and Basmati 370
in some areas. Trade data shows that India has been able to export about 0.7
million tonne out of the total export of 1.3 million tonne of Basmati rice
from the sub-continent. India has been doing well as per as Basmati rice
export is concerned.
Pakistan has said that there over 51 landraces which have pure parental
lines of traditional Basmati and hence these varieties should qualify for
duty derogation. The FSA has asked for records of documentation of these
varieties and proper DNA tests to assess the parental lines.
The Indian side in the earlier meeting had made clear "the need for having,
first and foremost, the consumer's interests in focus to the exclusion of
all other considerations. The government of India is also concerned at
protecting the image of Basmati, and believes that the two objectives
converge.....India cannot and will not be a party to a committee that
develops a code which impairs consumer interests, and raises questions about
what can be called Basmati."
India is correct in placing its argument. The maintaining the image of
Basmati is more important. The product which we sell should be genuine and
gain consumers' confidence.
Now coming to the history of Basmati rice. This variety of naturally
scented aromatic long grain rice was traditionally grown in the Dehradun
district, now in the newly carved state of Uttaranchal in India. Varietal
improvement of Basmati rice was initiated in 1920 at Kala Shah Kaku, now in
Pakistan. It was here that Basmati-370 was selected and released by Sardar
Mohammad Khan in 1933. Thereafter, the Indian Council Of Agricultural
Research (ICAR) undertook varietal developments of Basmati rice like Pusa
Basmati-1, Kasturi, Haryana Basmati-1, Ranbir Basmati and several IET
varieties.
History shows that Dehradun is the original home of Basmati rice and this
has been described by G Watt (1891) in `A Dictionary of The Economic
Products of India'. But the pure traditional Dehraduni Basmati is no longer
available. This is the greatest tragedy. It is a loss of bioversity.
Whatever varieties of Basmati are presntly available are developed varieties
and hybrids. The European consumers have become conscious. They are ready to
pay higher price for genuine Basmati. The European Union, therefore, is
ready to give duty derogation for import of Basmati varieties having some
traditional parental line.
The exporters of Basmati rice should be honest. They should not mix other
varieties of rice in the import consignment of Basmati rice. The product
should be genuine. No matter whichever variety of Basmati we export, we
should be honest in labelling, if we are to maintain its image. The Thai
exporters have been successful in maintaining the image of Jasmine Rice.
Today the Jasmine Rice gets a premium price of $ 458 to $ 550 a tonne in
global market whereas Basmati Rice is priced at $ 420 to $ 430. It is the
customers' confidence that ultimately matters!
The rice traders of India and Pakistan has signed a MoU for protecting and
promoting Basmati Rice. But why only for Basmati rice? There are several
varieties of traditional naturally scented aromatic rice other than Basmati
grown in the sub-continent. To name a few, they are Kalanamak, Sakerchini
and Hansraj grown in eastern UP, Dubraj, Chinoor grown in Chhattisgarh,
Kalajoha grown in northeastern India, Randhuni Pagal grown in Orissa and
Ambemohar grown in Maharashtra. There are several other varieties of such
aromatic rice grown in different parts of India, Pakistan and other
countries of South Asia.
Sincere efforts should be made to register these traditional varieties
under geographical indications, before they can be pirated and claimed by
others. There is a need to encourage cultivation of these varieties and
promote its marketing for a premium price. Not only the traders in India and
Pakistan but also the governments in these countries should think about this
urgently.
-----------------------------
India, Pak To Jointly Promote Basmati Rice Abroad
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=54749
ASHOK B SHARMA
New Delhi, March 14
The export of Basmati rice is likely to get a boost as the world's two
rival competitors in trade, India and Pakistan, have agreed to protect "this
common hetritage of the sub-continent" from any infrignment on its
geographical indications (GIs) and jointly promote it marketing abroad.
The Pakistan rice millers have also expressed their intention to purchase
plant and equipment from India. Indian exporters are happy over the
situation and said "this will result in a boost in export of Basmati rice
from the region."
It may be recalled, in context, that earlier when the US multinational,
Ricetec patented a variety of Basmati, India had to fight alone. "We need to
have a common approach towards Basmati rice. This is very necessary for
jointly promoting the cause of Basmati rice," said one Indian exporter.
India and Pakistan together export 1.3 million tonne of Basmati rice. India
alone in 2002-03 exported 7,10,292 tonne of Basmati rice. In the first seven
months of the current year, 2003-04 India exported 3,19,614 tonne of Basmati
rice. In 2000-01 Indian Basmati rice export recorded a peak of 0.847 million
tonne due to increased demand from Saudi Arabia. However, thereafter, the
average export of 0.6 million tonne has been maintained.
The historic accord between the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan
(REAP) and All India Rice Exporters' Association (AIREA) was signed on
Friday. After signing the accord the leader of the Pakistan delegation,
Abdul Rahim Janoo said "we will jointly fight any possible infringement on
geographical indications on Basmati rice which is our common hertitage. We
will also jointly promote Basmati in the overseas market." The AIREA
president, Brij Mohan Bhatia who inked the MoU alongwith Mr Jannoo also
promised to cooperate in common interest.
The visit of the the 28-member REAP delegation was coordinated by the Media
Today publication group.
Mr Janoo, however, did not missed the opportunity to say that President
Musharraf inspired the delegation to go ahead and ink a pact with Indian
millers and exporters for promoting Basmati rice trade from the region. He
also invited Indian rice millers and exporters to a scheduled Indo-Pakistan
Basmati Rice Conference scheduled in Lahore in October, 2004. He said that
he has already discussed with the Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi to
issue visas to Indian businessmen on priority basis.
Some exporters believe that as the European Union has not given duty
derogation of euro 250 per tonne for import of several varieties of
`Basmati' rice grown in Pakistan, the millers and exporters in that country
want to join hands with India to fight out their case. Some experts say the
EU duty derogartion for CN codes 10062017 and 100620988 indicate for
traditional Basmati rice originally grown in Dehradun district of
Uttaranchal.
Many traders, however, feel that this joint agreement between the Basmati
rice exporters will help to boost exports from the region, but the details
of the plans and strategies need to be worked out. "There are other problems
likely to arise in future. Fumiggation by methyl bromide is likely to be
phased out by January, 2005. we have to resort to other methods of
fumigation. Fumigation by carbon dioxide is costly. We jointly need to
develop a cost-effective technology for fumigation," said some exporters
from both sides.
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Indian Basmati Rice Exports On Rise
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year---------------Quantity (in tonne)-----------------Value in Rs/Lakh
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1987-88 ------------- 3,55,277 ------------------------- 31,720
1988-89 ------------- 3,14,088 ------------------------- 31,193
1989-90 ------------- 2,32,412 ------------------------- 29,468
1990-91 ------------- 2,35,590 ------------------------- 43,512
1991-92 ------------- 2,86,170 ------------------------- 69,984
1993-94 ------------- 5,27,233 ------------------------ 1,06,126
1994-95 ------------- 4,42,167 ------------------------ 86,538
1995-96 ------------- 3,73,314 ------------------------ 85,066
1996-97 ------------- 5,23,127 ------------------------ 1,24,763
1997-98 ------------- 5,92,678 ------------------------ 1,68,502
1998-99 ------------- 5,97,756 ------------------------ 1,87,690
1999-00 ------------- 6,05,458 ------------------------ 1,73,594
2000-01 ------------- 8,47,458 ------------------------ 2,14,879
2001-02 ------------- 6.67,066 ------------------------ 1,84,277
2002-03 ------------- 7,10,292 ------------------------ 2,06,259
2003-04
(April-Oct) --------- 3,19,614 ------------------------ 91,229
---------------------
