ISLAMABAD, Nov 21: A high-level delegation of the European Union (EU) scientists is expected to arrive here within four days for DNA testing of basmati rice in Pakistan.

A senior official told Dawn on Tuesday that the EU scientists would draw samples from standing crops etc, which would be tested to determine its hybrid as a condition for allowing zero-rated market access to the EU. The EU scientists have informed that they need to draw 100 samples from different areas of each variety of preferably standing crops.

Interestingly, chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) could not attend the meeting held in the agriculture ministry to finalise the terms of reference for the issue and instead sent vice chairman Reap to represent him owing to differences among the rice stakeholders on which areas in the country can be called basmati growing areas so that the EU scientists could draw samples from there.

A leading rice exporter on condition of anonymity told Dawn that it was not correct to sideline the growers of many basmati areas of Pakistan and “we have no right or justification to do this.” Some of the officials wanted to restrict the basmati growing areas only to Punjab, while it was also grown in Sindh but the quality was not good,” he added.

Further, if testing parameters have to be established they should be with entire offerings from Pakistan and not only from selected areas as per whims of a few people. The admixture levels should be as near the reality as possible giving all benefit of doubt to the growers, millers, traders and exporters.

“We should not restrict our trade to theoretical ideals that are mostly away from reality. It should be the trade and the actual stakeholders, who define the area and not the scientists alone as they will not suffer any consequences,” he added.

“Pakistan does not have crops based on ‘manually certified seeds’ and we are too far away from DNA-tested certified seeds. Under the situation, it will be difficult for us to agree to any strict scientific testing based on DNA unless it recognizes the realities on the ground while defining it,” the exporter said.

The official said that the additional secretary Minfal finally decided that for the purpose of the EU scientists’ visit, “we shall show them areas in Punjab only but we shall not close the definition of the total basmati growing areas as yet till further discussion with the stakeholders takes place.”