In a move similar to the issue of a rice patent on Basmati rice in 1997, Malaysia has granted trademark rights for a popular rice variety grown in south India to a Malaysian trading firm.
Syarikat Faiza, which imports Sona Masoori Ponni rice from India, registered the variety under the Malaysian Trademark Act and sent legal notices to other importers asking them not to use the word “Ponni” to describe the product. Coming at a time of rising food prices – especially the increasing cost of rice – the move has sparked an outcry among Indian farmers and Malaysian importers.
“You cannot register the variety Ponni, it is like registering Basmati. Ponni belongs to India and it cannot be registered in Malaysia,” said Rajasekaran Thiyagarajan, a lawyer representing a Malaysian importer.
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