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Govt allays apprehensions on basmati patent

The government on Tuesday allayed fears that indigenous basmati cultivation and exports would be hit hard with the US Patent Office giving 'varietal patent' to a Texan company for selling its rice as a superior strain of basmati.

The US Patent and Trademark Office upholding Texas-based Ricetec Inc's patent on basmati rice would not affect export of basmati rice from India, Minister of State for Commerce Digvijay Singh said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha.

He also said India had not lost the basmati case as it does not prevent India from selling improved strains of the grain.

India could also develop their own variety of basmati rice and export it, he asserted.

Regarding members demand to take up legal battle against US Patent Office decision, Singh said this would be considered by the government only after the Geographical Indication Bill, pending before Parliament is passed.

The Bill, now before a Parliamentary Select Committee, seeks among other things to give recognition to the linkage of a produce with a particular area.

The government would not delay enacting the legislation the moment it was cleared by the committee, he added.

When some members apprehended that the decision of the US Patent Office would have grave implications on India, the minister said it was not so. "We don't visualise any effect on export of Indian basmati...We have not lost the case as it is being made out to be," he said.

Singh said that in 1999-2000 rice worth Rs 240 billion was exported, while in 2000-01 it was valued at Rs 275 billion.

Senior Congress member Kapil Sibal wanted to know what was holding up the government to patent Indian Basmati and this did not require passage of Geographical Indication Bill.

Chairman Krishan Kant agreed to members suggestion for a detailed discussion on the issue amidst thumping of desk.

This is a very important matter and there should be a separate discussion on the subject and Government should come out with a statement, the Opposition members said.

Earlier, in his main reply the Minister said Bangladesh had not imposed any restriction on import of rice from India and added that import duty on rice had been increased from five per cent to 25 per cent along with a 10 per cent regulatory duty with effect from July 1, 2001.

The Government permitted export of 3 million tonnes of rice out of the stocks held by FCI for the Central Pool in the current financial year, he added.

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