KARACHI: Pakistani rice exporters’ concerns over India being given exclusive rights to export basmati rice have been accepted by the European Union. Pakistani rice exporters have submitted a plea in European Union against the same.
“The European Commission declared the notice of opposition and the statement of Pakistani exporters admissible,” said Pakistani rice producers and exporters.
Pakistani exporters in their plea have opposed the Indian claim over the geographical indicator (GI) tag of basmati rice in the bloc.
India had requested the EU, last year, to recognize the fragrant long-grain as originating in seven Indian states, to It would be given its producers special rights to the basmati label in the lucrative European market.
Pakistan had rejected the Indian claim in EU and said that its farmers also grow basmati rice.
The association had said in a statement, “On 7 December last year, REAP had filed a Notice of Opposition against Indian claim on GI of basmati in the EU.
REAP said in its statement that rice exporters and farmers of Pakistan are at the risk of losing a ‘billion-dollars’ worth of income.
The EU had applied zero tariffs on rice imported into the bloc 15 years back, which had been authenticated by either Pakistani or Indian authorities as genuine basmati.
Pakistan has a great export capacity in the industry of basmati rice, making the country one of the top five exporters of rice in the world.
The European Commission has accepted REAP as a party to the case.
India is the biggest basmati exporter in the world that meets 65% of the global demand for this category of highly-valued rice known for its distinctive aroma. Pakistan meets the remaining requirement and earns US$ 800 million to US$ 1 billion annually from its exports.
