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Hooda for lifting ban on export variety of paddy

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has urged the Centre to immediately lift the ban on the export of PUSA 1121 variety of paddy.

An official spokesman said on Sunday that Mr. Hooda had also met separately Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath and urged them to lift the ban on the export of this variety of paddy.

In letters written to the Prime Minister and both the Union Ministers, Mr. Hooda had stated that PUSA 1121 had been categorised as super fine category but the character of this variety was similar to basmati group of varieties. He also pointed out that the Union Agriculture Ministry had also recommended this variety to be notified under basmati group of varieties.

Mr. Hooda added that an area of two lakh hectares had been covered under PUSA 112 variety in Haryana during the current Kharif season and a production of six-seven lakh metric tonnes of paddy of this variety was expected. He further pointed out that this variety was mainly exported on premium to Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran and so on.

It may be recalled that last year also Mr. Hooda had got the ban lifted on the export of PUSA 1121 variety. He had then cut short his tour to America and returned to India to pursue this case with Dr.Manmohan Singh. With the lifting of the ban, PUSA 1121 variety was sold at Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,200 per quintal in the market.

In his letters, the Chief Minister has also pleaded that the lifting of the ban on PUSA 1121 variety would not only strengthen the economic condition of the farmers but would also encourage them to grow more foodgrain. He further argued that the interest of the common man would not suffer at all as this variety of paddy was not consumed by the poor.

Meanwhile Deepender Singh Hooda, son of Mr.Hooda and MP from Rohtak, is also making all out efforts to get the ban lifted.

A member of the Lok Sabha standing committee for determining prices of agriculture produce, he has not only recommended to lift the ban on the export of PUSA 1121 variety but also demanded not to impose any such ban on the export of this variety in future.

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