Which variety of rice was patented by a U.S. company even though the highest number of varieties of this rice are found in India ?

Options

A. Sharbati Sonora
B. Co-667
C. Basmati
D. Lerma Rojo

Answer

C

Explanation

In 1997, an American company got patent rights on Basmati rice through the US patent and Trademark Office. This allowed the company to sell a 'new' variety of Basmati, in the US and abroad. The new variety of Basmati had actually been derived from Indian farmer's varieties. Indian Basmati was crossed with semi-dwarf varieties and claimed as an invention or a novelty. The patent extends to functional equivalents, implying that other people selling Basmati rice could be restricted be the patent.