Last week, Jitin Prasada, the Union Minister of State for Commerce, announced the launch of India’s first AI-based Basmati Paddy Survey project for the years 2026 to 2028. This initiative, spearheaded by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), aims to cover approximately 4 million hectares.
The ambitious target has ignited considerable debate within the industry, particularly since APEDA’s 2023 report indicates that the total area dedicated to Basmati cultivation is only 2.14 million hectares—less than half of the proposed project scope. This discrepancy has led to discussions regarding a possible expansion of the existing Basmati Geographical Indication (GI) zone. However, such a move faces legal challenges, particularly concerning the inclusion of Madhya Pradesh, which remains under judicial review. The government’s plan to employ AI on this expanded scale suggests preparations for a comprehensive mapping of aromatic rice production, despite ongoing legal and regional disputes regarding the traditional Basmati belt.
Additionally, concerns have arisen about collaboration with specific industry bodies, notably those whose representatives serve on the Board of the Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), given that the funding for the project is expected to come from BEDF’s resources. Currently, APEDA charges ₹70 per tonne to Basmati exporters for registration of contracts, a prerequisite for allowing shipments, in order to generate funds for BEDF.
According to government statements, the Basmati Paddy Survey project (2026–2028) aims to collect data from over 150,000 ground-truth points and engage with more than 500,000 farmers. The project’s goals include precise crop assessments, varietal identification, scientific advisory services, and improved export planning.
Industry sources indicated that APEDA conducted annual Basmati surveys until Kharif 2023, ceasing operations in 2024 due to pressure from certain exporters. Furthermore, there were requests to include non-GI areas in the surveys, which were declined, as the crops in those regions do not meet the legal definition of Basmati.
APEDA did not respond to inquiries regarding the project by the time of reporting.
The Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) expressed that it has not yet been approached by APEDA for collaboration on the crop survey. IREF director general Vinod Kaul stated, “We plan to approach APEDA for a joint collaboration and involving IREF in the entire process for carrying out the proposed Crop Survey, which is the main pivot for well-conceived policy decisions.” Kaul stressed that only through a structured crop survey can accurate data and statistics about production be obtained.
IREF has advocated for a crop survey that includes non-GI areas, proposing that it would be advantageous to report on Basmati rice grown in both the GI area and in non-GI regions.
Historically, the area planted with pure Basmati varieties in India is around 2.1 million hectares; however, the recognized GI region for Basmati encompasses over 6 million hectares, covering parts of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
In February 2016, after years of hearings, the GI registry based in Chennai issued a GI certificate for Basmati rice to APEDA, recognizing certain districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi. The order was upheld by the GI appellate tribunal, which dismissed an appeal by the Madhya Pradesh government regarding its inclusion.
The matter escalated to the Madras High Court in 2020, where the Madhya Pradesh government was asked why it had not sought the cancellation or modification of the GI certificate through the Registrar of Trade Marks, as it was a statutory remedy. The High Court dismissed the petition, but the Madhya Pradesh government appealed to the Supreme Court, which, in September 2021, set aside the High Court’s order and remanded the case for fresh consideration. The matter remains pending.
