Question

Name the Indian variety of rice patented by an American company.

Answer 1

Hint: Patent means that the inventor gets the property right which is granted by a sovereign authority. The inventor then has the rights to his invention. If someone creates a copy then they have to face court for legal rights.

Complete answer:
Basmati rice is grown in the Indian subcontinent. It is a long, slender grained and highly aromatic type of rice present. Basmati rice is geographically exclusive to India and certain areas of Pakistan. The major producers of basmati rice are Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. The highest amount of export made of basmati rice was in the country of Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE. In sriLanka a red variety of basmati rice is cultivated. The aroma present in the rice is due to the compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. This compound provides a distinct flavour and aroma to the rice when cooked.
American company named RiceTec owned by Prince Hans- Adam of Liechtenstein was granted patent of basmati rice lines and grains. The company faced a backlash on allegations regarding biopiracy. Due to decisions by the United States patent and trademark office the company withdrew most of the patent claims on the basmati rice including the right to all their product basmati. In 2001 the company was granted rights over three strains of rice developed by the country.

Note: Basmati rice is very good for health as it is linked to lowering the risk of heart diseases. It also helps to lower the blood cholesterol level and also lowers the high blood pressure. Because of its longer size of the grain it is costlier than the other rice varieties.