Dehradun aims to revive famed 'Doon Basmati'; here's all you need to know about

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Around 160 farmers in Dehradun district have started planting traditional ‘Doon Basmati’ – renowned for its distinctive aroma and exquisite taste – across 75 hectares this season in a boost to efforts to revive the crop, officials said.

According to officials, the coordinated efforts of the district administration, the Agriculture Department, and the Gramotthan Pariyojana are not only promoting the cultivation of Doon Basmati but also placing special emphasis on providing market access to farmers, as well as on the conservation of quality seeds, testing, and branding.

Dehradun District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan stated that during the initial trial conducted in 2025, Doon Basmati was cultivated over an area of 65 hectares, yielding encouraging results. He noted that the cultivation area has since been expanded to 75 hectares this year, with 160 farmers in the district commencing planting.

Chauhan mentioned that following the Sahaspur and Vikasnagar development blocks, farmers in the Raipur and Doiwala blocks are also showing enthusiasm for cultivating Doon Basmati.

He stated that in the future, Doon Basmati would be developed into a strong brand-highlighting its unique aroma, quality, and local identity-thereby providing farmers with better market access and opportunities for higher income.

Abhinav Shah, the district’s Chief Development Officer, noted that while about 100 farmers cultivated the crop on approximately 65 hectares in 2025, there is now a growing interest among farmers in this traditional crop.

He added that the farmers’ produce was procured directly through REAP (Rural Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Project). He stated that last year, on the initiative of the district administration, over 200 quintals of Doon Basmati paddy were procured at a rate of Rs 65 per kg, resulting in the transfer of more than Rs 13 lakh to the farmers’ accounts.

The CDO mentioned that, alongside promoting Doon Basmati cultivation, providing better market access for farmers is also a priority. Special emphasis is being placed on marketing Doon Basmati through REAP and Hilans (a brand for local products from Uttarakhand) to ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce.

He announced that a seed bank would soon be established in Vikasnagar to conserve Doon Basmati and provide quality seeds to farmers, thereby ensuring easy future access to high-quality, high-yield Doon Basmati seeds.

The District Magistrate stated that work is also underway to develop proper testing facilities for Doon Basmati in Vikasnagar. He emphasized that the district administration’s priority is to preserve Dehradun’s traditional agricultural heritage while boosting farmers’ income by developing Doon Basmati’s unique aroma, quality, and local identity into a recognized brand.

Chief Agriculture Officer Devendra Singh noted that Doon Basmati was once cultivated across approximately 550 hectares, but the cultivation area had gradually shrunk.

Surya Prakash Bahuguna, a farmer from Herbertpur, mentioned that around 25 to 30 farmers from his area are involved in the campaign to revive Doon Basmati. He expressed hope that the cultivation area would expand in the future and that farmers would secure better prices for their produce.

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