Controversy over the appointment of a law firm for Basmati GI and IPR matters

16-Jun-2026 05:31 PM

New Delhi: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)—a body under the Union Ministry of Commerce—has decided to appoint a new law firm to handle global matters related to the Geographical Indication (GI) tag and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for Basmati rice; a move that has left exporters dissatisfied. Two leading rice exporter associations have urged the Union Ministry of Commerce to reconsider this decision.

Meanwhile, APEDA maintains that the appointment has already been finalized. The responsibility was assigned to the law firm following a thorough evaluation of the tenders invited for the purpose by an expert selection committee. However, exporter associations continue to oppose the appointment.

In separate letters addressed to the Union Commerce Minister, the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) and the Basmati Rice Millers and Exporters Association (Punjab) stated that the law firm was selected without consulting exporters or other relevant stakeholders.