Jammu farmers demand GI certification for Basmati rice, days after saffron was issued tag

Days after the government of India issued a certificate of GI registration for the saffron grown in the Kashmir valley, the farmers across the Jammu region demanded why their famed basmati rice has not been given a similar certification.

While terming the decision of the issuance of the certificate of GI registration for the saffron grown in the Kashmir Valley as a "momentous decision", Lt Governor GC Murmu had said that this is the first major step to put saffron produced in the Kashmir Valley on the world map with authentication.  

"With the GI tag, Kashmir Saffron will acquire more prominence in the export market and would help the farmers get the best remunerative price", he said.

However, the farmers across the Jammu region which are known over the world for the famed Basmati rice rue that it has been their long-pending demand to the government of India to issue a GI registration for their Basmati.

"We produce world famous Basmati rice, which has a unique flavour and unique aroma which is not available anywhere else in the world. The Basmati rice of RS Pura in Jammu is exported to several countries, but we still don't have a GI registration", Rohit Singh, a farmer leader in RS Pura said. 

READ: 240 kg poppy seized from Punjab-bound trucks in Jammu

The GI certification

The GI certification establishes specific geographical origin and certifies certain unique qualities of the product.   GI certification enables those who have the right to use signs in order to prevent third parties using the sign.  This GI certification would also stop the prevalent adulteration of Kashmir Saffron and thereby authenticated Saffron will fetch much better prices.

"People sell fake Basmati rice claiming it to be the Jammu Basmati rice which brings a bad name for the farmers here and affect our business, we urge the Lt Governor to take up our issue with the Union Government and help us get the GI registration for our rice as well", Kuljeet Singh another farmer from RS Pura said.

While the Kashmir Saffron is the only one in the world growing at an altitude of 1600 meters, which adds to its uniqueness and differentiate it from other saffron varieties due to its unique characteristics like longer and thicker stigma, natural deep-red color, high aroma, bitter flavor, chemical-free processing, and high-quality color strength, flavor and bitterness.

Jammu Basmati too has several unique qualities which are exclusive to the produce from RS Pura.

READ: 50-year-old woman dies of COVID-19 in Jammu, J-K death toll stands at 237