Basmati tag

Pakistan and the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, as well as other business entities involved, have made an important step forward by having basmati rice grown in Pakistan given a geographical indication tag stating that it originates in Pakistan. This ensures that rice imported from Pakistan is recognized as Pakistani by the EU and fetches higher prices as the strain of rice known as basmati which is considered superior to other kinds of rice. Till now, India has been attempting to block Pakistan from attaining this tag, on the grounds that basmati rice had originated in India and as such only India had the right to the geographical indication tag, which it has already obtained some years ago. Pakistan however had fought back, saying that rice is also grown all over Pakistan, and principally its provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

This then is a good example of what can be achieved when institutions work together. In this case, the REAP, the Ministry for Investment as well as other institutions and also the foreign ministry had joined together to ensure that basmati is registered as a Pakistani product. This takes Pakistan a step forward in its effort to improve its export image and upgrade the number of items it can export each year and gain the correct prices for. The PTI government needs to be commended for taking up this important matter, which had been ignored for too long. The achievement is one that also shows Pakistan is quite capable of competing against its regional neighbours as far as exports go. However, to do so it must ensure all its institutions and all its stakeholders understand and recognize what needs to be done and are prepared to work together to do it.

Too often they have not been ready to do this. The result has been a loss for the country on many fronts. These losses need to stop. The geographical indication tag is an important recognition of where a particular product has originated from and also helps other nations recognize from which countries particular items can be brought in or exported. Basmati rice has gained recognition around the world because of its quality and the particular kind of cooked product that it produces. The tag and the registration are therefore excellent news, given that it shows Pakistan is not many steps behind India as far as the export of rice goes.