Kenya has emerged as a threat to the Indian subcontinent’s exclusivity to basmati rice with farmers in the Ahero region of Kisumu county tasting success in cultivating the fragrant rice.
According to Kenya’s television network KTN, basmati is the region’s new hope, which had been cultivating IR27 rice variety till now.
Though farmers are harvesting only 20 bags of 25 kg each of basmati compared with 40 bags of IR27, the are receiving 70 Kenyan shillings per bag (100 shillings =₹66.82). Input costs for basmati are low and thus Kenyan farmers are economically benefitted from cultivating it, the report said. Basmati cultivation in the Kenyan region is being taken up by cooperatives, it said.
In a related development, Sumith de Z Abeysiriwardena, who retired prematurely as Director of the Rice Research Institute (RRI) in Sri Lanka, had developed red basmati rice in the Dambulla region of the island nation.
The scientist told Lanka’s Daily FT that he developed the first aromatic white long grain rice variety in Sri Lanka with grain quality somewhat similar to basmati in 1994. The development of red basmati comes after three years of “research in the fields and laboratories resulted in the world’s first red basmati-type rice developed in Sri Lanka.”
To promote the export of the rice, the scientist claimed it has been improved genetically by incorporating high aroma and health properties such as protein, Vitamin B and lower glycemic index to make it one of the healthiest.
On May 10, 2023, businessline reportedthat Kenya has begun cultivating basmati rice and it was working with research scientists and industry to “tackle the rising cases of fake basmati rice”.
In December 2021, Egypt said it will start cultivating basmati rice and market it, though Cairo did not specify if it will be exported. Alaa Khalil, Egypt Director of Field Crops Research Institute at Cairo’s Ministry of Agriculture, told the “Al-Masry Effendi” talk show on “Al Mehwar” television that the African nation was importing the fragrant rice worth $100 million annually.
Egypt, Thailand in the fray
According to S Chandrasekharan, who has written a history book on the long grain rice “Basmati Rice: The Natural History Geographical Indication”, Egypt could try to export to Europe and nearby Islamic nations.
Thailand is another country which has come up with an ambitious move to grow basmati rice targeting West Asia, particularly the Saudia Arabian market.
Bangkok’s move came after it revived full diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia in 2022. The then prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha instructed “relevant agencies to expand cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the agricultural sector including developing plantations of basmati for export to Saudi Arabia”.
Chandrasekaran said recent developments indicate that India needs to expedite its international registration process. “Such registration will ensure the globalisation to our farmers,” he said.
According to data from APEDA, India has been exporting 4-5 million tonnes of basmati rice over the past few years with the earnings touching $5.8 million last fiscal. This fiscal, the country has exported 3.24 mt of basmati valued at $3.38 billion so far.
