Farmers rejoice as basmati's PUSA-1121 variety being sold for Rs 4,900/quintal

Archit Watts

Muktsar, November 27

Basmati growers in the region are getting 10 to 30 per cent higher prices of their produce than the last year.

High international demand

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Due to higher international demand and ban on the export of non-basmati rice, prices of all basmati varieties are much better this year. Babbu Bansal, Ex-chief, Arhtiya assn, Muktsar

Farmers are fetching nearly Rs 4,900 per quintal for PUSA-1121 variety, whereas it was sold for Rs 3,200 to 4,200 per quintal previous year.

Similarly, PUSA-1509 is fetching Rs 4,000 per quintal in Muktsar district. The prices of this variety had remained between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,600 last year.

Further, PUSA-1401 (mucchal) variety is trading for Rs 4,700 per quintal in comparison to Rs 4,200 previous kharif season.

The other varieties of basmati—PUSA-1692, PUSA-1718 and PUSA-1847—too are fetching better prices.

Babbu Bansal, ex-chief, Arhtiya Association, Muktsar, said, “Due to higher international demand and ban on export of non-basmati white rice, the prices of all basmati varieties are much better this year.”

Officials at the district mandi office said the arrival of basmati had started almost a month ago and would last longer this time.

Gurpreet Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said, “The average price of basmati is Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 per quintal higher than previous year. The farmers are rejoiced as per acre yield has also increased. The harvesting of basmati crop has completed but some farmers are still waiting for prices to increase more.”

He said the area under basmati had increased from 68,500 hectares to 90,000 hectares this year in the district. Ranjit Singh, a basmati grower, said, “Barring the PUSA-1847 variety, all other varieties are fetching better prices.”