EU Looks To Tighten Basmati Rice Imports

Concerned with the surge in basmati rice imports from India,the European Union(EU) is all set to review its import regime and planning to put in place a DNA testing protocol which can allow imports of “genuine” basmati rice.

India has already submitted a protocol formulated by the Hyderabad-based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting, but Brussels has said that it would device its own protocol. It has asked both India and Pakistan to provide relevant information.

The global market size for basmati rice is over $ 1167 million and in 2005-06 over 2 million tonne was exported by India and Pakistan of which the former’s share is 58.16%.