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Basmati farmers in Madhya Pradesh, which has been excluded from Geographical Indications registration, have got a relief with the Madras High Court ordering Apeda not to take action against them.
This followed a writ petition filed by the MP government against an order of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) which allowed GI Registration of Basmati cultivated in the Indo-Gangetic Plains while leaving out the State.
GI tag The IPAB had said, in the order passed on February 5, that MP could apply separately for GI Registration.
When contacted by BusinessLine , J Sai Deepak, the Counsel for Madhya Pradesh said the High Court’s order gives a huge relief to the farmers in MP.
The GI Registration in its present form leaves in the lurch over 80,000 farmers in the State producing about 10 lakh tonnes of the aromatic rice each season as they cannot claim the official stamp of uniqueness for their Basmati.
Apeda’s stand The High Court has said the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), a statutory body under the Commerce Ministry, should not take any infringement action against MP farmers till State government’s petition is disposed off, he said.
Earlier this week, GI Registration for Basmati cultivated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western UP and two Districts of J&K – Jammu and Kathua was granted to Apeda which is the statutory body to protect the intellectual property in the domestic markets and abroad. The IPAB’s order followed a protracted litigation by MP and Basmati exporters demanding that the areas in which the rice is cultivated in the State be included in GI Registration.
The High Court has also said that it will take up the issue of GI Registration of entire States rather than specific areas where the aromatic rice is cultivated.
MP, for instance, has asked for inclusion of just 13 districts where Basmati is cultivated.
The matter is posted for April 5. The Court has also asked MP to proceed with applying for GI Registration of Basmati, Deepak said.
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