The Haryana chief minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded lifting of ban on the export of PUSA 1121 variety of paddy immediately.
Hooda has met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath separately and urged them to lift ban on the export of this variety of paddy. He has also written letters to this effect to the Prime Minister and both the union ministers.
In his letters, Hooda had stated that PUSA 1121 has been categorised as super fine category but the character of this variety are similar to basmati group. It may be mentioned that the union ministry of agriculture had also recommended this variety to be notified under basmati group of varieties.
Hooda has informed the Prime Minister that an area of two lakh hectares has been covered under PUSA 112 variety in Haryana during the current Kharif season and a production of six-seven lakh metric tones of paddy of this variety is expected. He has informed the Prime Minister that this variety is mainly exported to Gulf countries.
It may be recalled that last year also Mr. Hooda had got the ban lifted on the export of PUSA 1121variety. He cut short his foreign tour to America and return to India to pursue this case with the Prime Minister.