We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry. current time
Punjab requesting denotification of hybrid rice varieties
Official sources indicate that the Indian government is not rushing to fulfill the Punjab government’s request to denotify hybrid rice variety seeds for the state. This comes after it was determined that all 23 hybrid varieties released post-2015 exceed the benchmark standards for recovery, which are a minimum of 67 percent for milling, the conversion of paddy to rice, and 55 percent for head rice, unbroken grain. Nevertheless, the matter will be addressed following discussions with the state government.
Recently, the Punjab government sent a letter to the Centre requesting for the denotification of all hybrid paddy, non-Basmati varieties, enabling it to regulate the sale of these seeds under a state law that has been in effect for several years. In August 2025, the Punjab and Haryana High Court annulled the state government’s prohibition on hybrid paddy seeds, which had been enacted in April of the previous year. However, the Court permitted the state to limit the sales of any non-notified variety seeds.
Sources have stated that since the seeds in question were notified by the Centre, it would be able to restrict their sales once they are denotified. However, the Centre must conduct a thorough examination of the issue, as companies may pursue legal action if the denotification lacks a legally valid basis, sources added. Meanwhile, The Agriculture Ministry has obtained expert advice from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which will be the basis for discussions with the Punjab government
The primary concern of the Punjab government reportedly revolves around the fact that certain hybrid rice varieties yield less than the 67 percent that millers are required to deliver to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) after processing the purchased paddy. Due to millers’ hesitance to process specific varieties that they could not separate from the total volume acquired, they initiated a strike in 2024, refraining from collecting the paddy from mandis. This action led to delays in procurement, prompting farmers to protest. Subsequently, the Centre referred the issue of reduced returns from paddy to rice to IIT Kharagpur for further investigation.
Sources indicate that, owing to yields that are up to 25 percent higher than those of conventional varieties, an increasing number of farmers are opting for hybrid paddy seeds, despite the fact that these seeds are three times more expensive and require greater amounts of fertilizer. Additionally, the assurance of 100 percent paddy procurement at the minimum support price (MSP) is a significant incentive for farmers in Punjab, as it guarantees their returns.
