The Hindu Business Line : Is Pak growing Pusa-1121 basmati variety?

Is `Pusa-1121', the blockbuster basmati rice variety bred by scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) here, now being grown in Pakistan?

The answer, if trade sources are to be believed, is yes. "We have got to know that a large area has been sown under Pusa-1121 in Pakistan this year. They planted some quantity last year too, which is being marketed under the `Kayanat' label," they claim.

Web search

In fact, a Web search on `Kayanat' and `basmati' shows links to a couple of Pakistan-based rice exporting firms. These links refer to the product being offered for sale as `Kayanat' or `Kianat', while simultaneously mentioning `1121' (though not `Pusa') within brackets.

"It is a clear giveaway. There is little doubt that the so-called Kayanat/Kianat is our own Pusa-1121," the sources added.

When contacted, the Chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Mr Abdul Rahim Janoo, said in an e-mail response to Business Line: "About Pusa-1121, my answer is no comments".

Since its release for commercial cultivation in 2003, Pusa-1121 has been a major draw with exporters and farmers alike - courtesy its higher yields (relative to traditional basmati varieties), remunerative prices, grain quality (greater elongation upon cooking and less chalkiness) and huge demand, especially in Iran.

Basmati exports

During 2008, out of India's basmati exports of 17.79 lakh tonnes (lt), Pusa-1121 contributed 2.53 lakh tonnes. In the first six months of this calendar year, 1121 shipments, at 3.34 lakh tonnes, constituted over a third of the total 9.57 lakh tonnes.

"For the full year, 1121 exports will easily top seven lakh tonnes out of the total 20 lakh tonnes of basmati. And with the 2009 crop (which will be shipped only next year), likely to be twice as large, we are talking of 10-12 lakh tonnes of potential exports from this variety alone," the sources pointed out.

But will Pakistan's Kayanat/Kianat spoil the party? Not really, according to the sources. The reason for this is the high percentage of brokens resulting from normal milling of Pusa-1121, which renders exports in raw (white) rice form unviable.

"The 1121 variety requires par-boiling to strengthen the grain. Pakistan's disadvantage is that its rice industry has limited par-boiling capacity, which means they can at the most do 10,000-20,000 tonnes a month," the sources noted.

Shabnam from super

Interestingly, in 2003 - the year Pusa-1121 was launched - the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana released `Shabnam', a basmati variety, derived from Pakistan's `Super'. The PAU scientists sourced the `Super' seeds from Pakistan, which they subsequently selected and purified to suit the Indian conditions.

`Shabnam' has, however, not been very successful, with hardly 70,000-80,000 tonnes getting exported annually and that too mainly as an admixture with other basmati rice shipments.

"The variety has seemingly not been fully adapted to our soil-moisture conditions, as the grains tend to be sticky and are also susceptible to aflatoxins. One would like to similarly see how Pusa-1121 performs in Pakistan," the sources observed.

Pak exports

During the year ended June 30, Pakistan exported 29.30 lt of rice valued $2.04 billion, within which basmati's share was roughly 9.24 lt ($1.02 billion).

"Our overall target for 2009-10 is 33 lt ($2.5 billion), with basmati alone accounting for 12 lt," Mr Janoo said.

Pakistan's basmati exports are predominantly composed of the `Super' variety.