To ascertain the supply of standardized unfeigned rice in domestic and export markets, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for the first time specified the identity standards for basmati rice varieties which include brown, milled, parboiled, and milled parboiled. India has a share of nearly 80% global trade of Basmati rice.
Officials stated the standards are to be executed with the quality parameters inscribed in the trade as “basmati rice is inclined to various types of adulteration for economic gains which may contain the undeclared blending of other non-basmati varieties of rice”.
Basmati rice not only fetches a premium globally but is being sold in the domestic market which is higher than the non-basmati varieties.
The FSSAI norms on aromatic and long-grain rice are targeted at establishing fair practices in the trade and protecting consumer interests, aligned along by following the standards of the domestic and global market, according to an official statement. The standards will be enforced from August 1, 2024.
Referring to the standards, Basmati rice shall possess the natural fragrance characteristic of aromatic rice and be free from any artificial or chemical coloring, polishing agents, and artificial fragrances.
“These standards would specify various identity and quality parameters for basmati rice and that are as the average size of grains and their elongation ratio after cooking; maximum limits of moisture, amylose content, uric acid, defective/damaged grains and incidental presence of other non-basmati rice, etc,” according to an official statement.
FSSAI Notifications regarding basmati rice
Officials informed FSSAI has notified regulatory standards for Basmati rice that have been formulated after undergoing consultations with traders, exporters, processors, and concerned government departments.
Annual production of Basmati rice per year is around 8.5 to 9 million tonnes (MT), out of which around 4 MT is exported.
VK Kaul, a Senior Executive Director of All India Rice Exporters Association said, “The FSSAI standards would ameliorate compliance relating to quality standards in the Basmati rice trade”.
In 2021-22, India exported close to 4 MT of Basmati rice valued at $ 3.54 billion. During the April-November period of the current fiscal, the value of Basmati rice exports rose by more than 39% to $ 2.8 billion (2.73 MT) from $ 2 billion (2.4 MT) in the previous year.
Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Basmati rice is a premium variety of rice cultivated in the Himalayan foothills by and large in Punjab. Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir and is widely known for its long grain size, flossy texture, and unique inherent aroma and taste.
