Basmati exporters seek separate board for focused oversight

• Industry calls for statutory body to manage seed-to-shipment value chain
  
  
• Residue compliance, GI protection and quality control in focus
  
  

India's basmati rice exporters have urged the government to establish a dedicated Basmati Rice Board, arguing that the premium long-grain aromatic segment requires commodity-specific regulation amid rising global scrutiny.

Currently overseen by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), basmati exports form a high-value component of India's agri trade, with annual shipments of nearly 6 million tonnes. The crop is cultivated across Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Jammu & Kashmir, supporting an estimated 1.52 million farmers.

Exporters say oversight of the basmati value chain remains fragmented. While varietal research is led by institutions such as the Basmati Export Development Foundation and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, there is no single statutory authority responsible for seed purity, traceability, quality certification and export monitoring.

The industry has flagged recurring challenges around pesticide residue compliance in destination markets with stringent maximum residue limits (MRLs), as well as risks of adulteration and erosion of India's geographical indication (GI) status. A dedicated board, exporters argue, would enable tighter farm-level extension, standardised quality protocols, stronger GI enforcement and coordinated trade representation.

The proposal comes as India pursues trade agreements and seeks to strengthen its agri-export competitiveness. For exporters, a specialised board is seen as a structural measure to safeguard India's basmati premium in global markets.