While the export ban on non-basmati rice is not expected to be lifted soon, experts feel that there are many such high-value, non-basmati rice varieties which can match aroma, texture and taste normally associated with basmati rice and could be promoted to harness their export potential.
An compendium of aromatic short grain rice prepared by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has identified varieties such as kalanamak, tilakchandan and jeerabati (Uttar Pradesh), kala jeera (Orissa), katrani ( Bihar), ambemohar (Maharashtra), govindbhog and badshahbhog (West Bengal), dubraj, badshahbhog and jawaphool (Chhattisgarh) and kala joha (Assam) which could be harnessed and developed for their export potential. ?In small and medium grain aromatic rice, there is still a great scope for improvement by selecting short stature, better yielding and early maturing plant type,? the compendium said.
Last year, the government banned exports of non-basmati rice to control rising inflation. This year too, officials believe that the ban might not be lifted as kharif rice output is projected to fall because of drought. Only, basmati rice, which is grown mostly in parts of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, is exported mainly to European and the West Asian countries besides the US. In 2008-9, India exported around two million tonne of basmati rice.
After the government banned exports of non-basmati rice last year, there was fear that rice exports could be affected, but exports picked up due to the huge demand for the Pusa 1121 variety of basmati rice. Rice exports from the country in 2008-09 were worth Rs 11,162 crore, marginally less than Rs 11,755 crore achieved during the previous financial year.
Earlier, a large number of above mentioned medium grain rice varieties were collectively called as basmati (bas means aroma). However, over the years, the definition of basmati has changed and is now becoming more and more restricted to long slender grain type with moderate to strong aroma, the report said. “Every state of India has its own set of aromatic rice varieties and specific areas of aroma formation and cultivation are well known,” according to the compendium, which for the first time documents existing non-basmati aromatic short grain aromatic rice in the country.
The demand for aromatic rice has been growing in Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States. The report said that despite possessing immense wealth of such types of rice, the country has already lost a lot in the aftermath of green revolution where major emphasis was on yield, rather than quality. The joint report also said that some of the non-basmati scented rice varieties are superior to basmati rice with respect to traits like aroma, kernel elongation after cooking, fluffiness, taste, etc.
During 2007-8, India, the world’s third-largest rice exporter after Thailand and Vietnam, exported around 4 million tonne of rice, including about a million tonne of aromatic Basmati rice.
India’s ban on non basmati rice export has helped its global competitors such as Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Burma and Brazil to become top suppliers in the world, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently said in a report.
According to the USDA report, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Burma and Brazil collectively exported around 1.7 million tonne of rice in 2008 to African countries, which were historically India’s markets. The Indian government’s decision to ban non-basmati exports has pushed India to the fourth position, whereas Pakistan has moved up by one place to third rank in the list of top rice exporters in 2008-09.
India produced close to 100 million tonne of rice last year. However, this year the output is expected to fall because of drought in key rice growing states.
