Bill for protecting IPR of Basmati passed by Parliament

A bill which aims to protect the intellectual property rights of items like Basmati rice was passed by Parliament today with the Lok Sabha agreeing to the amendments made by the Rajya Sabha. While the Lok Sabha had passed the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2008, last year, the Rajya Sabha passed it last week with the amendments. A new section has been inserted as part of the amendment to make the provisions more fool-proof. The bill seeks to provide for the protection of IPR of a new category of "special" agricultural products, including Basmati rice. According to the government, several attempts have been made by some foreign traders and manufacturers to obtain IPR in respect of Basmati rice by filing applications for registration of trademarks or grant of patent. This could have adversely affected the exports of the Indian Basmati. "Such infringements are also apprehended in other agricultural products," said the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.

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