FYI... Stefanie Rixecker ECOFEM Coordinator ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Forwarded by Diverse Women for Diversity ******************************************** Basmati Rice: US firm withdraws patent claim ********************************************** (New Delhi, September 27) IN a major success for India's effort to retain its commercial interest on Basmati rice exports, Ricetec Inc, a Texas-based US company, which had obtained a patent for 'Basmati rice lines and grains', has been forced to withdraw certain claims in its US patent. Indian Government, which challenged the company through APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), had filed a re-examination application contesting some of the claims of the patent. Ricetec Inc has now withdrawn the claims, which could have adversely affected the commercial interests of Basmati rice exporters. With this development, the danger to Basmati rice exports to the US has been successfully averted as this patent could be used to interfere in the export of Indian Basmati rice. APEDA's request for re-examination to the US patent office included evidence that Basmati rice grains were being produced in India since long, prior to the date of the patent, and had the characteristics, which were now being claimed as unique by Ricetec Inc. APEDA's action demonstrates the Government's resolve to protect India's Basmati interests against any attempts to misappropriate the same. Source URL: <http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/280900/detNAT05.asp> ___________________________________________________________ ------- End of forwarded message ------- ************************************ Dr. Stefanie S. Rixecker, Senior Lecturer Environmental Management & Design Division Lincoln University, Canterbury PO Box 84 Aotearoa New Zealand E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fax: 64-03-325-3841 ************************************
