Digvijaya Singh writes to Piyush Goyal on MP Basmati GI tag and organic cotton fraud
Synopsis
Digvijaya Singh is pressing the Centre on two fronts simultaneously: a years-old GI tag demand for MP Basmati that has left farmers losing market value to traders from other states, and a blunt allegation that ordinary Bt cotton is being fraudulently certified and exported as organic — with officials allegedly complicit. If either claim gains traction, it puts both APEDA and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in an uncomfortable spotlight.
Key Takeaways
Digvijaya Singh wrote to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on 29 April seeking a high-level meeting on the MP Basmati GI tag and organic cotton fraud.
Singh alleged that ordinary Bt cotton is being fraudulently certified and exported as organic through collusion among traders, certification agencies, and officials.
MP farmers have been demanding a GI tag for Basmati rice for years; its absence allows traders from other states to export MP produce under their own state names.
Singh requested the presence of Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior APEDA officials at the proposed meeting.
Singh says he has previously raised both issues in the Rajya Sabha and written to PM Modi , but no satisfactory action has been taken so far.
Veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday, 29 April wrote to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, seeking a high-level meeting to address two pressing concerns: the long-pending Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice and alleged fraud in the state's organic cotton certification and export chain.
The GI Tag Demand for MP Basmati
Singh flagged that farmers in Madhya Pradesh have been seeking a GI tag for their Basmati rice for several years without any concrete progress. He argued that the absence of GI recognition has placed local growers at a structural disadvantage in both domestic and international markets.
"Farmers of Madhya Pradesh have been demanding a GI tag for Basmati rice for years. Due to its absence, traders from other states are exporting our produce under their own state names, causing financial losses to our farmers," Singh said in his letter. The GI tag dispute over Basmati has historically pitted established producing states against newer claimants, with MP farmers reportedly losing market value and branding leverage in the interim.
Organic Cotton Fraud Allegations
Singh also alleged serious irregularities in Madhya Pradesh's organic cotton sector, claiming that ordinary Bt cotton is being falsely certified and exported as organic through collusion among certain traders, certification agencies, and officials.
"There are serious irregularities in the certification of organic cotton. Through collusion between some traders, certification agencies and officials, ordinary Bt cotton is being exported as organic cotton. This not only harms genuine organic farmers but also affects India's credibility in global markets," Singh stated. The allegation, if substantiated, would represent a significant breach of India's organic export standards and could invite scrutiny from international buyers and regulators.
What Singh Has Asked For
In his letter to Goyal, Singh requested the presence of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior officials of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to ensure a comprehensive discussion. The proposed meeting would aim to deliberate on granting the GI tag to MP Basmati and on strengthening monitoring and certification mechanisms in the organic cotton sector.
"I urge the Central government to convene this meeting at the earliest so that concrete and decisive solutions can be worked out. Farmers must get justice and transparency in the export system must be ensured," he added.
Prior Escalations With No Outcome
Singh noted that he had earlier raised both issues in the Rajya Sabha and had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and concerned Union Ministers, but said no satisfactory action has been taken so far. This pattern of escalation — from parliamentary floor to direct ministerial correspondence — underscores the Congress leader's frustration with what he describes as executive inaction on farmers' economic interests. The Centre's response is now likely to draw added political scrutiny given that Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh himself, now holds the Agriculture portfolio — adding an intra-state political dimension to the dispute.
Point of View
Singh is effectively putting a former rival on the spot: act on your home state's farmers or face political fallout. The organic cotton allegation is the sharper of the two; if collusion between certification agencies and officials is proven, it would expose a systemic failure in India's premium agricultural export chain, not merely a local grievance. The GI tag issue, meanwhile, is a slow-burn injustice — MP's Basmati growers have a credible geographic claim, and continued inaction only enriches intermediaries at the expense of primary producers.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GI tag demand for Madhya Pradesh Basmati rice?
MP farmers have been seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for their Basmati rice for several years. Without it, traders from other states can export MP-grown Basmati under their own state names, depriving MP farmers of market recognition and fair pricing.
What is the organic cotton fraud alleged by Digvijaya Singh?
Singh has alleged that ordinary Bt cotton from Madhya Pradesh is being falsely certified as organic and exported through collusion among traders, certification agencies, and officials. He says this harms genuine organic farmers and damages India's credibility in global markets.
Who has Digvijaya Singh written to and what has he asked for?
Singh wrote to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on 29 April, requesting a high-level meeting that also includes Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and senior APEDA officials to deliberate on both the Basmati GI tag and organic cotton certification issues.
Has Digvijaya Singh raised these issues before?
Yes. Singh says he has previously raised both the Basmati GI tag and organic cotton certification concerns in the Rajya Sabha and written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and concerned Union Ministers, but no satisfactory action has been taken so far.
Why does the MP Basmati GI tag matter for farmers?
A GI tag would legally protect the geographical origin of MP Basmati, preventing traders from other states from selling it under different labels. It would help farmers command better prices domestically and internationally by establishing a distinct, protected identity for their produce.
