Sunstar Overseas Limited Summary

India: Sunstar Overseas Ltd      www.sunstaroverseas.com   

According to the BBC World’s India Business Report, more than 80% of the rice grown in India is exported. Sunstar Overseas Ltd is a private, family-owned company that produces organic and conventional basmati rice for export, while simultaneously working to expand its domestic market. Integral to its strategy for economic success has been obtaining as many certifications—kosher, organic, fair trade—as possible. Since 2001, they have partnered with thousands of small scale farmers in northern India to create a group certification for basmati rice.

Aided by the farmers’ federations, Sunstar signs five-year contracts with farmers. These agreements dictate the type of crop that will be cultivated, pricing and purchasing policies, terms of payment, and the responsibility of Sunstar and the signing farmer.

Although Sunstar’s conventional production still dwarfs that of their fair trade and organic products by a significant margin, the company has gotten international attention for helping its farmers grow certified rice products. Sunstar is now India’s largest brown basmati rice exporter to Europe, and the success of their model has garnered a number of impressive firsts, among them being India (and the world’s) first rice milling company to be accredited with the fair trade label for organic basmati rice. They are also the first company in India to multiply basmati seed organically, through a biodynamic program under Demeter biodynamic certification.

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