The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has accused Pakistani rice farmers of illegally cultivating, showcasing, and selling superior-quality, Indian strains of basmati rice on Pakistani soil. Basmati rice, known for its fragrant, long-grained variety, is a bone of contention between India and Pakistan.
IARI breeds high-yielding varieties of Basmati rice, accounting for nearly 90% of India’s multi-billion dollar basmati exports in 2023-24. Their accusations stem from YouTube videos floated by Pakistani seed mills, especially from the Punjab province, where recently-released IARI rice varieties were being showcased and promoted.
One example of Pakistan’s alleged seed piracy is the Basmati rice variant listed in Pakistan as ‘PK 1121 Aromatic’ and ‘1121 Kainat’ basmati, which was originally titled by IARI as Pusa Basmati 1121. Similarly, another IARI variant, PB-1509, released in 2013, has reportedly been renamed ‘Kissan Basmati’ in Pakistan and is being illegally cultivated and sold on Pakistani soil. The alleged piracy is not limited to IARI’s older strains; even newer disease-resistant basmati rice strains developed by IARI are being pirated in Pakistan. IARI has demanded legal action against Pakistani seed firms found to pirate their varieties to protect the interests of Indian farmers and exporters2. These developments could impact India’s dominance as a Basmati rice exporter and challenge the country’s agritech prowess