INDIA: Commercial interests defended when US Basmati rice patent quashed

The US Agricultural and Processed Foods Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) today (27 September) announced a victory over Texan-based company RiceTec. APEDA had demanded that the US patent office re-examine the patent obtained by RiceTec, which stated that the Basmati rice produced by the company had unique characteristics.A statement by APEDA explained that, "with this victory, the danger to Basmati rice exports to the US has been successfully averted" and India's commercial interests had been successfully defended.