GI tagged non-Basmati rice needs branding push
India has over one lakh paddy accessions, yet only 31 rice varieties, including Basmati, hold GI tags. These tags grant region-specific farmers exclusive rights, reflecting unique agro-climatic conditions and traditional cultivation skills. Covering 16 states and 116 districts, mostly aromatic varieties, they highlight vast export potential. Union Budget 2025–26 introduces tariff lines distinguishing non-Basmati, Basmati, and GI-tagged rice, enhancing traceability, branding, and global market opportunities.
Though India is home to more a than a lakh of paddy accessions, as per the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources in June 2025, only 31 rice varieties including Basmati are registered as Geographical Indications (GI). GI tag provides collective yet monopoly rights to farmers belonging to a specific region who have nurtured the cultivation of the paddy over a period of time.
The uniqueness can be attributed to agro-climatic conditions and methods of production that involve human skill, through traditional knowledge associated with cultivation. The non-Basmati GI rice varieties are spread across 16 States — one each in Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands; one jointly from Manipur and Nagaland; two each in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar; three each in Maharashtra and Assam; four in West Bengal and six in Kerala; covering 116 districts as per the GI application information. Twenty-four among these varieties are aromatic.
This clearly indicates the immense potential of establishing a brand image for non-Basmati GI aromatic rice varieties. In this context, the announcement to introduce new tariff lines for rice (foodgrain) based on varieties (such non-Basmati, Basmati), on method of processing (parboiled or not) and GI-tagged (registered under the GI Registry of India) under the subheadings of HS CODE 1006-30, in Union Budget 2025-26, is a welcome move. This is an important step towards creating a niche in the global arena for non-Basmati GI tagged rice varieties that reflects authenticity with traceability, thereby creating an ecosystem beneficial for both producers and consumers.
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Source : The Hindu Business line
