Basmati being wiped out by hybrid rice

LAHORE: Expressing deep concern over the growing cultivation of non-basmati hybrid rice in Central Punjab, the Rice Research and Development Board chairman has urged scientists to work expeditiously for developing Basmati hybrid rice so that farmers can benefit from the high yields and heritage of traditional varieties could be preserved.

Addressing a function here Saturday, Shehzad Ali Malik said that as the head of a seed company, he is a strong supporter of protecting Basmati which is an asset to the country. To encourage scientists, we have announced a reward of Rs10 million for developing hybrid Basmati varieties. He said that the hybrid was introduced to Sindh because the area was mainly producing coarse rice, which yielded 40-50 maund per acre. However, with the introduction of hybrid rice, production had increased and farmers had started getting 110-120 maund per acre.

The hybrid has played a very strong role in alleviating poverty and increasing Pakistan's non-basmati exports. After Sindh, hybrid rice was introduced to South Punjab but now it is being sown in the basic basmati region or Central Punjab as well. He called it a matter of concern. This is very beneficial to my personal business but if we talk nationally it should not replace Basmati. He said his company has been working on developing basmati hybrids for the last seven to eight years and is encouraging private and public sector scientists to take the lead in this. Iftikhar Ali Malik highlighted the R&D activities and said it has five research stations across the country to produce heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant and high-yielding rice varieties.