Bhopal, Jun 19 (IANS): The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has approached the Supreme Court seeking that Madhya Pradesh's basmati rice be included in the GI tag list.

Addressing the media, Madhya Pradesh agriculture minister Kamal Patel on Friday said that the Madras High Court had on February 27 dismissed the petition filed against the exclusion of basmati rice produced in the state from the GI tag list. The state government has appealed against this decision in the Supreme Court.

Advocate J Sai Kaushal has been appointed as special council representing the state government in the Supreme Court.

Patel said, "Due to the erstwhile Congress government, the major producer of basmati rice has lagged behind the GI tag. Our state produces basmati rice in a traditional way, good quality basmati rice is produced here. The government headed by Shivraj Singh Chouhan has appealed to the Supreme Court to include basmati of the state in the GI tag. Farmers will get a fair price by enlisting the GI tag for basmati of the state."