The per hectare productivity has been at a stand-still at 3,000 kg in certain areas and declined between 10% to 18% per year in others. According to a spokesman of the All-India Breweries' Association (AIBA): "More than anybody else, it is the agronomists associated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the agricultural universities of the states, who are to be blamed for the malaise." The spokesman, who is currently lobbying with the United Breweries Group's R&D centre to grow more seed of `Vijay M. 137' for commercial use at least in the traditional barley-growing pockets of northern India, regretted that "for the last more than five years, the agronomists of state farm varsities have been recommending four outdated low-yielding and high husk barley varieties, namely, BG 25, 105, 138 and 164. Earlier they had been recommending only BG 164, which is mainly considered as an essential ingredient of cattle and poultry feed."

Former president of All India Malt Manufacturers' Association, Mr P K Jain, does give credit to ICAR's veteran agronomist, Dr Balram, for his research work on evolving superior barley strains at ICAR's Karnal centre in Haryana.

Unfortunately, he has concentrated mainly on evolving huskless barley for human consumption but not for making malt. For about a decade, Dr RN Kaw of UB's R&D centre at Bangalore has been trying to evolve some wonder strain of barley to produce international class malt at least for the captive use by the brewery giants. Dr Kaw ultimately succeeded in evolving "Vijay M.137" which stood the vigorous tests in the labs of the Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana) as well as in the fields. During the 1999-2000 rabi season, 1,024 acres were covered under this stain in Mansa, Patiala and Sangrur in Punjab. The entire produce, which was more than twice the usual per hectare productivity of the varsity-recommended seeds, was bought at highly remunerative rate by the UB Group. Next year, according to Dr Kaw, the area under 'Vijay M. 137 in Punjab was trebled but again the entire produce was procured by UB's breweries. Mr Jain and other commercial maltsters are now urging Dr Kaw to release this wonder strain to begrown in other traditional barley growing areas of Haryana, Rajasthan and western UP.

By all standards, "Vijay M. 137" is stated to be equivalent to barley grown in Australia and other countries. It is tall, sturdy, non-lodging and mid-maturing variety. It has covered kernel, medium sized grains with aleurone, contains less husk and has malting and brewing quality. Its genes are stated to be rust-resistant and are considered ideal for growing in the northern states where irrigation facilities are quite meagre. This strain yields 4% to 5% more malt-extract than the best available in the Indian markets and is cheaper than those who plan process imported barley, it is claimed. The UB Group is confident that with the "Vijay M. 137" in the field and its decision to invest huge funds in its R & D labs, Indian maltsters should be able to capture malt-using markets of Southeast Asian and Far Eastern countries, which are wholly dependent on imported malt. In fact, Mr Jain, who recently visited some South Asian countries as member of an official delegation led by the Haryana chief minister, OmPrakash Chautala, found brewers and breakfast food manufacturers there making frantic trade enquiries.