Understanding the UK's CoP for Basmati Rice

• Originally introduced in 2005, the CoP was a joint effort of the UK Rice Association (UKRA), the British Rice Millers Association, and the British Retail Consortium. The primary aim was to protect the reputation of basmati rice sold in the UK market.
• The CoP was a direct response to claims that the basmati rice being imported into the UK was up to 50% impure, a concern that had been raised several decades ago.
• The CoP stipulates that basmati rice must be "no more than 7% impure", and it identifies 15 acceptable varieties, including nine traditional and six modern cultivars.

The Amended UK CoP for Basmati Rice: What's New?

• The CoP, initially enforced through DNA fingerprinting developed by Bangor University in Wales, underwent a significant update in 2017. This update added 25 new modern cultivars to the list.
• According to experts from the university, this update was necessitated by the surge in new breeding efforts during the 2000s and 2010s.
• Alternative DNA markers developed by Bangor University revealed that six of the newly added varieties - five from India and one from Pakistan - were not adequately bred for their fragrance.
• Consequently, these six varieties have been removed from the list of approved basmati varieties.

Expert Views:

• S Chandrasekaran, who has authored the book "Basmati Rice: The Natural History Geographical Indication," argues that the use of DNA marking is a recent British invention and its effectiveness remains to be established.
• Interestingly, the British Rice Millers Association is no longer associated with the amended code.