The DNA testing of Super Basmati has proved that its characteristics match with the already notified variety, published in the Gazette of Pakistan on January 1, 1998, sources told Business Recorder on Saturday.
The notification of the Super Basmati would be published in the Gazette of Pakistan under the Seed Act 1976 within a couple of days along with the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) results, they said. The row between India and Pakistan over registration of the Basmati variety started when India claimed developing the 'Super' in the Kharif 2003 season as a Basmati variety under the Exports Inspection Certification Act.
After the Indian claims, sources said, Pakistan decided to carry out DNA test of the variety at National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, which matched the characteristic of the variety already registered under Seed Act 1976 on January 1, 1998.
After the notification of the variety, it would help the concerned officials to dissuade India from officially tagging its rice a 'Super Basmati', sources said, adding that the issue would be taken up bilaterally through diplomatic channels.
If the diplomatic means failed to persuade India, then Pakistan would move Dispute Settlement Court (DSC) of WTO.
However, Super Basmati rice issue was on the agenda of recently concluded international rice conference in India that it is exclusively Pakistani variety.
Super is originally grown in Pakistan as a cross between traditional pure line basmati cultivators and modern dwarf rice lines. Super Basmati has always had an edge over Indian Pusa Basmati-1 in international markets. Pakistan fears if India starts exporting the same rice, it could lose up to 40 percent of the world market.
Super Basmati is globally recognised as Pakistan's basmati variety and is very well accepted with exports over 800,000 tons. This rice variety has a high yield and earns a lot due to its superior quality. According to an estimate, annual rice exports from India and Pakistan fetch around $2.5 billion.
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