The new centre in Pilibhit will support farmer training, crop research, and AI-based rice surveys across India’s Basmati sector.

INDIA – The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), together with the Uttar Pradesh government and the state agriculture department, has signed a 70 year lease agreement to build a Basmati and Organic Training Centre cum Demo Farm in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

The project will cover about seven acres in Tanda Bijaisi and will focus on farmer training, research, and support for organic and conventional Basmati farming. APEDA said the site will include an auditorium, laboratories, conference rooms, a museum and gallery on Basmati and organic farming, and storage facilities for organic farm inputs.

The centre will serve farmers, students, and agriculture experts from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. APEDA said the facility will become India’s first integrated training and demonstration farm for both organic and conventional Basmati production.

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada attended the signing event and said Pilibhit has strong potential as a Basmati growing region. He called for wider adoption of organic farming and stronger farmer participation in the sector.

He also suggested adding an AI based interactive museum and a sales outlet for quality Basmati seeds and organic farm inputs at the centre.

During the same event, APEDA also introduced India’s first AI based Basmati Paddy Survey project for the 2026 to 2028 period. APEDA will run the project with the All India Rice Exporters Association.

The survey will cover close to four million hectares and collect information from more than 150,000 ground points while working with over 500,000 farmers. The project aims to improve crop assessment, identify rice varieties more accurately, support scientific farm advice, and help export planning.

Authorities have also selected the upcoming Pilibhit centre as an All India Coordinated Research Project centre for national Basmati trials.

The designation makes Pilibhit the third such centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Basmati GI zone after Nagina in Bijnor and BEDF Modipuram. Researchers will use the site to study and test new Basmati varieties suited to local growing conditions.

India’s Basmati rice exports reached US$5.67 billion in the 2025 to 2026 period, with export volumes hitting about 6.5 million metric tonnes.

Demand remained strong across the Middle East, Europe, and North America. APEDA continues to support organic farming through training, certification support, and market access programmes.

Published Date: May 8, 2026