Rice originated in Southeast Asia and southern China, but it quickly spread throughout the world as invaders brought the precious grain with them.
Archeological and historical evidence indicate basmati rice to have evolved in northern India around 8000 years before the present time.
The origin of basmati has been traced back to the Kalar tract of Punjab, Pakistan, where it has been grown for centuries.
The history has also been documented in ancient texts such Atharva-Veda and passed through folklore. The other text mentions of basmati rice is in the epic Heer Ranjha, composed in 1766.
In 2000, the Indian government protest the issue of Rice Tech Inc patent at the World Trade Organization. Indian authorities challenged the US Patent Office’ 1997 RiceTec patent, fearing the impact of its specialty, climate–specific export.
In 2001 the Patent Office rejected the patent because the new variety was ‘substantially identical’ to the old one.
The most widely used rice variety – basmati 370 was selected from local collections and released for commercial cultivation in 1933 at the Rice Research Station Kalashah Kaku.
Basmati rice
