APEDA Signs 70-Year Land Lease Pact For Basmati and Organic Training Centre in Pilibhit

New Delhi, Apr 30 (KNN) The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has signed a 70-year lease agreement with the Department of Agriculture, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh for transfer of land to set up a Basmati and organic training centre-cum-demonstration farm in Pilibhit.

The proposed facility, spread over around seven acres, will include training and research infrastructure such as an auditorium, laboratory, museum, conference facilities, and storage for organic inputs.

 It is intended to serve as a capacity-building hub for farmers, while also supporting researchers and students. Once operational, it will be the country’s first integrated centre focusing on both conventional and organic Basmati cultivation.

Addressing the event to formalise the lease agreement, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada highlighted the region’s potential as a key Basmati-producing cluster and emphasised the need to expand organic cultivation. He also suggested incorporating digital and AI-enabled features, including an interactive museum and dedicated outlets for certified seeds and organic inputs.

On the occasion, APEDA launched an AI-based Basmati paddy survey project for 2026–2028 in partnership with the All-India Rice Exporters Association. The initiative aims to improve crop assessment and export planning by covering nearly 4 million hectares, collecting data from over 150,000 ground-truth points, and engaging more than 500,000 farmers.

The upcoming centre has also been designated as an All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRP) for conducting national-level Basmati trials.

It will become the third such centre in the state’s Basmati GI zone, facilitating region-specific varietal testing and evaluation.

Basmati rice, a key Basmati rice export, recorded shipments worth USD 5.67 billion in 2025–26, with volumes of around 6.5 million metric tonnes.

The latest initiative is expected to strengthen India’s Basmati ecosystem through improved productivity, quality, and alignment with global demand for sustainable agricultural practices.

(KNN Bureau)