巴基斯坦和印度的巴斯马蒂大米之争
正文翻译
As Pakistan and India spar over basmati rice, some fear for its survival
International demand for basmati rice is forecast to double over the next few years. But farmers and connoisseurs say traditional varieties are disappearing.
随着巴基斯坦和印度就巴斯马蒂大米展开争执，一些人担心它的生存前景。
预计未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍。但农民和鉴赏家表示，传统品种正在消失。
Basmati rice — the region’s “scented pearl” — was probably once exported to the Roman Empire, historians say, and is today in growing demand in the United States and Europe. Yet its origins have never been more divisive or its future more uncertain.
巴基斯坦拉合尔——早在这片土地成为印度和巴基斯坦边界之前，这里的农民就种植了一种珍贵的世界闻名的长粒大米。历史学家称，巴斯马蒂大米——该地区的“香米珍珠”——可能曾出口到罗马帝国，如今在美国和欧洲的需求不断增长。然而，它的起源从未如此具有争议性，未来也从未如此不确定。
Officials in New Delhi are pushing for basmati rice to be granted protected status in global markets as a uniquely Indian product. They have been met with vehement opposition from Pakistan, which claims the rice is part of a shared heritage between the two countries.
新德里的官员正推动巴斯马蒂大米作为印度独有的产品在全球市场获得保护地位。他们遭到了巴基斯坦的强烈反对，巴基斯坦声称这种大米是两国共同遗产的一部分。
But in the world’s basmati heartlands, many fear the real threat is being ignored by leaders in both nations. As analysts predict international demand for basmati to double over the next few years — reaching an estimated $27 billion by 2032 — farmers and rice connoisseurs say the signature strain is on the brink of disappearing.
但在世界巴斯马蒂大米的核心产区，许多人担心真正的威胁被两国领导人忽视了。随着分析人士预测未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍——到2032年预计达到270亿美元——农民和大米鉴赏家表示，这种标志性品种正濒临消失。
Basmati’s name is derived from an ancient Indo-Aryan word for “aromatic” and “fragrant,” and it is described by many here in almost religious terms.
巴斯马蒂的名字源自一个古老的印度-雅利安语词汇，意为“芳香”和“芬芳”，在这里，许多人用近乎宗教的语言描述它。
“There’s this special moment when you lift the lid of your metal pot and the steam comes out,” said Muhammad Nawaz, 37, a Pakistani chef. “It’s an eruption inside your nose; it intoxicates you.”
“当你揭开金属锅盖，蒸汽冒出来的那一刻，有一种特别的感受，”37岁的巴基斯坦厨师Muhammad Nawaz说。“它在你鼻子里爆发，让你陶醉。”
Nobody can say with certainty when exactly that began to change. But all agree that’s not what most basmati rice here tastes like these days — even if it carries the label.
没有人能确切地说出这种变化是从什么时候开始的。但所有人都同意，如今大多数巴斯马蒂大米的味道已经不再如此——即使它仍然贴着这个标签。
“Young farmers have lost the traditional knowledge of how to maintain genetic purity,” said Debal Deb, an ecologist who works with Indian farmers to conserve indigenous seeds. He called the debate over who owns basmati “a complete waste of energy on both sides.”
“年轻农民已经失去了如何保持基因纯度的传统知识，”与印度农民合作保护本土种子的生态学家Debal Deb说。他称关于谁拥有巴斯马蒂的争论“完全是双方在浪费精力”。
In the 1980s, Indian and Pakistani farmers seeking a market advantage began growing varieties that matured faster and produced higher yields but lacked basmati’s characteristic richness. As small farms gave way to large agribusiness over the following decades, quicker harvest cycles, processing shortcuts and soil degradation, partly caused by climate change, all contributed to a less fragrant rice.
20世纪80年代，印度和巴基斯坦的农民为了获得市场优势，开始种植成熟更快、产量更高但缺乏巴斯马蒂特有香味的品种。随着小农场在接下来的几十年里让位于大型农业企业，更快的收获周期、加工捷径以及部分由气候变化引起的土壤退化，都导致了大米的香味减弱。
But the new varieties are cheaper and easier to prepare at home. More important, according to exporters, most customers in the West can’t tell the difference.
但新品种更便宜，也更容易在家烹饪。更重要的是，根据出口商的说法，西方的大多数顾客无法分辨其中的区别。
In Lahore, and across this agricultural belt of South Asia, many feel that true basmati rice is quietly dying out. “We have compromised on the definition,” said Faisal Hassan, whose father became a national hero in Pakistan when he helped create a popular variety of basmati rice in the 1960s.
在拉合尔以及南亚的这片农业带，许多人感到真正的巴斯马蒂大米正在悄然消失。“我们在定义上妥协了，”Faisal Hassan说，他的父亲在20世纪60年代帮助培育了一种受欢迎的巴斯马蒂大米品种，成为巴基斯坦的民族英雄。
“This is suicidal,” he said.
“这是自杀行为，”他说。
Basmati’s global boom
巴斯马蒂的全球繁荣
Basmati rice is deeply rooted in the Punjab region, which today comprises a state in India and an adjacent Pakistani province. Early forms may have been cultivated here as long as 2,000 years ago, archaeologists have found; written references to the rice appear as early as the 16th century, when the Mughal Empire ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent.
巴斯马蒂大米深深植根于旁遮普地区，该地区如今包括印度的一个邦和巴基斯坦的一个相邻省份。考古学家发现，早在2000年前，这里可能就已经种植了早期形式的巴斯马蒂大米；书面记载最早出现在16世纪，当时莫卧儿帝国统治着印度次大陆的大部分地区。
“It was the food of emperors and kings,” said Raja Arslan Ullah Khan, a Pakistani rice exporter.
“它是皇帝和国王的食物，”巴基斯坦大米出口商Raja Arslan Ullah Khan说。
In the 1930s, Britain’s colonial government in India officially recognized the first standardized variety of basmati, which had been researched in a part of what would become the Pakistani Punjab province when British India was partitioned in 1947.
20世纪30年代，英国殖民政府在印度正式承认了第一个标准化的巴斯马蒂品种，该品种在1947年英属印度分治后成为巴基斯坦旁遮普省的一部分进行了研究。
Basmati rice wasn’t an immediate international success. Initial importers were mostly in the Middle East, which had a growing affinity for biryani, and among South Asian diasporas in Europe and the United States.
巴斯马蒂大米并未立即在国际上取得成功。最初的进口商主要集中在中东地区，那里对印度香饭的喜爱日益增长，以及欧洲和美国的南亚侨民。
From the start, India and Pakistan quarreled over who had the best basmati, and who had rightful claim to the name. In the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Pakistani farmers accused Indian soldiers of stealing their seeds; India subsequently accused its neighbor of copying its most prized varieties.
从一开始，印度和巴基斯坦就争论谁的巴斯马蒂最好，谁有权使用这个名字。在1965年的印巴战争中，巴基斯坦农民指责印度士兵偷走了他们的种子；印度随后指责其邻国复制了其最珍贵的品种。
“Our rice was far better in quality compared to that of India,” said Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood, a 55-year-old Pakistani farmer whose family has grown rice in the region for decades.
“我们的大米质量远优于印度，”55岁的巴基斯坦农民Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood说，他的家族在该地区种植大米已有数十年。
Ganesh Hingmire, an Indian professor who specializes in intellectual property disputes, couldn’t disagree more: “If you have an inferior quality, you have no right to claim it’s yours,” he said.
专门研究知识产权纠纷的印度教授Ganesh Hingmire则完全不同意：“如果你的质量较差，你就没有权利声称它是你的。”
In recent decades, India has undeniably gained the upper hand in the race to global basmati dominance. Its increasingly successful marketing strategies and export policies have outpaced those of Pakistan, which is “late to the party,” said Saboor Ahmed, a rice supplier in Lahore.
近几十年来，印度无疑在全球巴斯马蒂主导权的竞争中占据了上风。其日益成功的营销策略和出口政策已经超越了巴基斯坦，拉合尔的大米供应商Saboor Ahmed说，巴基斯坦“来得太晚了”。
The country is looking for opportunities to seize more market share, as it did after 2018, when Indian exports to Europe were affected by new E.U. pesticide limits.
该国正在寻找机会抢占更多市场份额，就像2018年印度对欧洲的出口受到欧盟新农药限制影响后所做的那样。
But “let’s be honest: Their variety is similar to ours,” said Yograjdeep Singh, a basmati rice business strategist in India. “Why are we fighting about this?”
但“说实话：他们的品种与我们的相似，”印度的巴斯马蒂大米商业策略师Yograjdeep Singh说。“我们为什么要为此争吵？”
New Delhi’s global efforts to enshrine its ownership of basmati have largely stalled. While an Indian case in the European unx is pending, Australia and New Zealand have rejected similar legal claims.
新德里在全球范围内确立其对巴斯马蒂所有权的努力大多停滞不前。尽管印度在欧盟的诉讼仍在进行中，但澳大利亚和新西兰已经拒绝了类似的法律主张。
A legacy in doubt
遗产的存疑
There are no exact figures for how much traditional basmati is still grown in Pakistan, but exporters and experts agree that the majority of rice produced here is now of the newer, high-yield varieties. On the other side of the border, Pusa Basmati 1121, or PB 1121, a newer strain, accounted for around 70 percent of all basmati cultivated in India’s Punjab state in 2019.
巴基斯坦目前种植的传统巴斯马蒂大米数量没有确切数据，但出口商和专家一致认为，这里生产的大米大部分已经是新的高产品种。在边境的另一边，Pusa Basmati 1121（或PB 1121）这一新品种占2019年印度旁遮普邦所有巴斯马蒂大米种植量的约70%。
It’s a trend that is unlikely to be reversed. According to one study, farmers netted an average of $1,400 per hectare of PB 1121, more than double the $650 they earned from older varieties.
这一趋势不太可能逆转。根据一项研究，农民种植PB 1121每公顷平均净赚1400美元，是种植老品种650美元的两倍多。
Deb, the Indian ecologist, maintains his own rice seed bank, part of a small but growing grassroots movement to conserve traditional basmati. “We maintain genetic purity of each variety,” he said, “and then distribute them to farmers for free.” He added that more extensive efforts are needed across the region if the original taste and smell of indigenous varieties are to endure.
印度生态学家Deb维护着自己的大米种子库，这是保护传统巴斯马蒂的小规模但不断增长的基层运动的一部分。“我们保持每个品种的基因纯度，”他说，“然后免费分发给农民。”他补充说，如果本土品种的原始味道和香气要得以延续，整个地区需要更广泛的努力
In Pakistan, people say basmati will always have a place at their tables, even if it’s not what it once was.
在巴基斯坦，人们说巴斯马蒂将永远在他们的餐桌上占有一席之地，即使它已不再是过去的样子。
Faqir Hussain, a Lahore-based restaurant owner, switched to serving his customers a cheaper long-grain alternative years ago. “People will probably forget that traditional basmati rice ever existed,” he said.
拉合尔的餐馆老板Faqir Hussain几年前就开始为顾客提供一种更便宜的长粒大米替代品。“人们可能会忘记传统巴斯马蒂大米曾经存在过，”他说。
Hussain and other businessmen in Pakistan are focused on catering to younger generations — the country’s median age is around 20 — who often lack the emotional connection to traditional basmati and the means to afford it.
Hussain和巴基斯坦的其他商人正专注于迎合年轻一代——该国的中位年龄约为20岁——他们往往对传统巴斯马蒂缺乏情感联系，也没有能力负担它。
Lahore-based waiter Saqib Ur Rahaman, 52, said he understands why many are moving on; dishes at his restaurant would double in price if the old varieties were still used.
52岁的拉合尔服务员Saqib Ur Rahaman说，他理解为什么许多人转向新品种；如果仍然使用老品种，他餐厅的菜品价格将翻倍。
For Rahaman, though, there’s no substitute for the original. He still receives the precious grains at affordable prices from his wife’s relatives, who live nearby in the rice-growing heartlands.
但对Rahaman来说，没有什么能替代原版。他仍然以实惠的价格从他妻子的亲戚那里获得这些珍贵的米粒，他们住在附近的大米种植核心区。
“As long as my in-laws are alive, I’ll be okay,” he said.
“只要我的岳父母还活着，我就没问题，”他说。
As Pakistan and India spar over basmati rice, some fear for its survival
International demand for basmati rice is forecast to double over the next few years. But farmers and connoisseurs say traditional varieties are disappearing.
随着巴基斯坦和印度就巴斯马蒂大米展开争执，一些人担心它的生存前景。
预计未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍。但农民和鉴赏家表示，传统品种正在消失。
Basmati rice — the region’s “scented pearl” — was probably once exported to the Roman Empire, historians say, and is today in growing demand in the United States and Europe. Yet its origins have never been more divisive or its future more uncertain.
巴基斯坦拉合尔——早在这片土地成为印度和巴基斯坦边界之前，这里的农民就种植了一种珍贵的世界闻名的长粒大米。历史学家称，巴斯马蒂大米——该地区的“香米珍珠”——可能曾出口到罗马帝国，如今在美国和欧洲的需求不断增长。然而，它的起源从未如此具有争议性，未来也从未如此不确定。
Officials in New Delhi are pushing for basmati rice to be granted protected status in global markets as a uniquely Indian product. They have been met with vehement opposition from Pakistan, which claims the rice is part of a shared heritage between the two countries.
新德里的官员正推动巴斯马蒂大米作为印度独有的产品在全球市场获得保护地位。他们遭到了巴基斯坦的强烈反对，巴基斯坦声称这种大米是两国共同遗产的一部分。
But in the world’s basmati heartlands, many fear the real threat is being ignored by leaders in both nations. As analysts predict international demand for basmati to double over the next few years — reaching an estimated $27 billion by 2032 — farmers and rice connoisseurs say the signature strain is on the brink of disappearing.
但在世界巴斯马蒂大米的核心产区，许多人担心真正的威胁被两国领导人忽视了。随着分析人士预测未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍——到2032年预计达到270亿美元——农民和大米鉴赏家表示，这种标志性品种正濒临消失。
Basmati’s name is derived from an ancient Indo-Aryan word for “aromatic” and “fragrant,” and it is described by many here in almost religious terms.
巴斯马蒂的名字源自一个古老的印度-雅利安语词汇，意为“芳香”和“芬芳”，在这里，许多人用近乎宗教的语言描述它。
“There’s this special moment when you lift the lid of your metal pot and the steam comes out,” said Muhammad Nawaz, 37, a Pakistani chef. “It’s an eruption inside your nose; it intoxicates you.”
“当你揭开金属锅盖，蒸汽冒出来的那一刻，有一种特别的感受，”37岁的巴基斯坦厨师Muhammad Nawaz说。“它在你鼻子里爆发，让你陶醉。”
Nobody can say with certainty when exactly that began to change. But all agree that’s not what most basmati rice here tastes like these days — even if it carries the label.
没有人能确切地说出这种变化是从什么时候开始的。但所有人都同意，如今大多数巴斯马蒂大米的味道已经不再如此——即使它仍然贴着这个标签。
“Young farmers have lost the traditional knowledge of how to maintain genetic purity,” said Debal Deb, an ecologist who works with Indian farmers to conserve indigenous seeds. He called the debate over who owns basmati “a complete waste of energy on both sides.”
“年轻农民已经失去了如何保持基因纯度的传统知识，”与印度农民合作保护本土种子的生态学家Debal Deb说。他称关于谁拥有巴斯马蒂的争论“完全是双方在浪费精力”。
In the 1980s, Indian and Pakistani farmers seeking a market advantage began growing varieties that matured faster and produced higher yields but lacked basmati’s characteristic richness. As small farms gave way to large agribusiness over the following decades, quicker harvest cycles, processing shortcuts and soil degradation, partly caused by climate change, all contributed to a less fragrant rice.
20世纪80年代，印度和巴基斯坦的农民为了获得市场优势，开始种植成熟更快、产量更高但缺乏巴斯马蒂特有香味的品种。随着小农场在接下来的几十年里让位于大型农业企业，更快的收获周期、加工捷径以及部分由气候变化引起的土壤退化，都导致了大米的香味减弱。
But the new varieties are cheaper and easier to prepare at home. More important, according to exporters, most customers in the West can’t tell the difference.
但新品种更便宜，也更容易在家烹饪。更重要的是，根据出口商的说法，西方的大多数顾客无法分辨其中的区别。
In Lahore, and across this agricultural belt of South Asia, many feel that true basmati rice is quietly dying out. “We have compromised on the definition,” said Faisal Hassan, whose father became a national hero in Pakistan when he helped create a popular variety of basmati rice in the 1960s.
在拉合尔以及南亚的这片农业带，许多人感到真正的巴斯马蒂大米正在悄然消失。“我们在定义上妥协了，”Faisal Hassan说，他的父亲在20世纪60年代帮助培育了一种受欢迎的巴斯马蒂大米品种，成为巴基斯坦的民族英雄。
“This is suicidal,” he said.
“这是自杀行为，”他说。
Basmati’s global boom
巴斯马蒂的全球繁荣
Basmati rice is deeply rooted in the Punjab region, which today comprises a state in India and an adjacent Pakistani province. Early forms may have been cultivated here as long as 2,000 years ago, archaeologists have found; written references to the rice appear as early as the 16th century, when the Mughal Empire ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent.
巴斯马蒂大米深深植根于旁遮普地区，该地区如今包括印度的一个邦和巴基斯坦的一个相邻省份。考古学家发现，早在2000年前，这里可能就已经种植了早期形式的巴斯马蒂大米；书面记载最早出现在16世纪，当时莫卧儿帝国统治着印度次大陆的大部分地区。
“It was the food of emperors and kings,” said Raja Arslan Ullah Khan, a Pakistani rice exporter.
“它是皇帝和国王的食物，”巴基斯坦大米出口商Raja Arslan Ullah Khan说。
In the 1930s, Britain’s colonial government in India officially recognized the first standardized variety of basmati, which had been researched in a part of what would become the Pakistani Punjab province when British India was partitioned in 1947.
20世纪30年代，英国殖民政府在印度正式承认了第一个标准化的巴斯马蒂品种，该品种在1947年英属印度分治后成为巴基斯坦旁遮普省的一部分进行了研究。
Basmati rice wasn’t an immediate international success. Initial importers were mostly in the Middle East, which had a growing affinity for biryani, and among South Asian diasporas in Europe and the United States.
巴斯马蒂大米并未立即在国际上取得成功。最初的进口商主要集中在中东地区，那里对印度香饭的喜爱日益增长，以及欧洲和美国的南亚侨民。
From the start, India and Pakistan quarreled over who had the best basmati, and who had rightful claim to the name. In the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Pakistani farmers accused Indian soldiers of stealing their seeds; India subsequently accused its neighbor of copying its most prized varieties.
从一开始，印度和巴基斯坦就争论谁的巴斯马蒂最好，谁有权使用这个名字。在1965年的印巴战争中，巴基斯坦农民指责印度士兵偷走了他们的种子；印度随后指责其邻国复制了其最珍贵的品种。
“Our rice was far better in quality compared to that of India,” said Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood, a 55-year-old Pakistani farmer whose family has grown rice in the region for decades.
“我们的大米质量远优于印度，”55岁的巴基斯坦农民Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood说，他的家族在该地区种植大米已有数十年。
Ganesh Hingmire, an Indian professor who specializes in intellectual property disputes, couldn’t disagree more: “If you have an inferior quality, you have no right to claim it’s yours,” he said.
专门研究知识产权纠纷的印度教授Ganesh Hingmire则完全不同意：“如果你的质量较差，你就没有权利声称它是你的。”
In recent decades, India has undeniably gained the upper hand in the race to global basmati dominance. Its increasingly successful marketing strategies and export policies have outpaced those of Pakistan, which is “late to the party,” said Saboor Ahmed, a rice supplier in Lahore.
近几十年来，印度无疑在全球巴斯马蒂主导权的竞争中占据了上风。其日益成功的营销策略和出口政策已经超越了巴基斯坦，拉合尔的大米供应商Saboor Ahmed说，巴基斯坦“来得太晚了”。
The country is looking for opportunities to seize more market share, as it did after 2018, when Indian exports to Europe were affected by new E.U. pesticide limits.
该国正在寻找机会抢占更多市场份额，就像2018年印度对欧洲的出口受到欧盟新农药限制影响后所做的那样。
But “let’s be honest: Their variety is similar to ours,” said Yograjdeep Singh, a basmati rice business strategist in India. “Why are we fighting about this?”
但“说实话：他们的品种与我们的相似，”印度的巴斯马蒂大米商业策略师Yograjdeep Singh说。“我们为什么要为此争吵？”
New Delhi’s global efforts to enshrine its ownership of basmati have largely stalled. While an Indian case in the European unx is pending, Australia and New Zealand have rejected similar legal claims.
新德里在全球范围内确立其对巴斯马蒂所有权的努力大多停滞不前。尽管印度在欧盟的诉讼仍在进行中，但澳大利亚和新西兰已经拒绝了类似的法律主张。
A legacy in doubt
遗产的存疑
There are no exact figures for how much traditional basmati is still grown in Pakistan, but exporters and experts agree that the majority of rice produced here is now of the newer, high-yield varieties. On the other side of the border, Pusa Basmati 1121, or PB 1121, a newer strain, accounted for around 70 percent of all basmati cultivated in India’s Punjab state in 2019.
巴基斯坦目前种植的传统巴斯马蒂大米数量没有确切数据，但出口商和专家一致认为，这里生产的大米大部分已经是新的高产品种。在边境的另一边，Pusa Basmati 1121（或PB 1121）这一新品种占2019年印度旁遮普邦所有巴斯马蒂大米种植量的约70%。
It’s a trend that is unlikely to be reversed. According to one study, farmers netted an average of $1,400 per hectare of PB 1121, more than double the $650 they earned from older varieties.
这一趋势不太可能逆转。根据一项研究，农民种植PB 1121每公顷平均净赚1400美元，是种植老品种650美元的两倍多。
Deb, the Indian ecologist, maintains his own rice seed bank, part of a small but growing grassroots movement to conserve traditional basmati. “We maintain genetic purity of each variety,” he said, “and then distribute them to farmers for free.” He added that more extensive efforts are needed across the region if the original taste and smell of indigenous varieties are to endure.
印度生态学家Deb维护着自己的大米种子库，这是保护传统巴斯马蒂的小规模但不断增长的基层运动的一部分。“我们保持每个品种的基因纯度，”他说，“然后免费分发给农民。”他补充说，如果本土品种的原始味道和香气要得以延续，整个地区需要更广泛的努力
In Pakistan, people say basmati will always have a place at their tables, even if it’s not what it once was.
在巴基斯坦，人们说巴斯马蒂将永远在他们的餐桌上占有一席之地，即使它已不再是过去的样子。
Faqir Hussain, a Lahore-based restaurant owner, switched to serving his customers a cheaper long-grain alternative years ago. “People will probably forget that traditional basmati rice ever existed,” he said.
拉合尔的餐馆老板Faqir Hussain几年前就开始为顾客提供一种更便宜的长粒大米替代品。“人们可能会忘记传统巴斯马蒂大米曾经存在过，”他说。
Hussain and other businessmen in Pakistan are focused on catering to younger generations — the country’s median age is around 20 — who often lack the emotional connection to traditional basmati and the means to afford it.
Hussain和巴基斯坦的其他商人正专注于迎合年轻一代——该国的中位年龄约为20岁——他们往往对传统巴斯马蒂缺乏情感联系，也没有能力负担它。
Lahore-based waiter Saqib Ur Rahaman, 52, said he understands why many are moving on; dishes at his restaurant would double in price if the old varieties were still used.
52岁的拉合尔服务员Saqib Ur Rahaman说，他理解为什么许多人转向新品种；如果仍然使用老品种，他餐厅的菜品价格将翻倍。
For Rahaman, though, there’s no substitute for the original. He still receives the precious grains at affordable prices from his wife’s relatives, who live nearby in the rice-growing heartlands.
但对Rahaman来说，没有什么能替代原版。他仍然以实惠的价格从他妻子的亲戚那里获得这些珍贵的米粒，他们住在附近的大米种植核心区。
“As long as my in-laws are alive, I’ll be okay,” he said.
“只要我的岳父母还活着，我就没问题，”他说。
评论翻译
As Pakistan and India spar over basmati rice, some fear for its survival
International demand for basmati rice is forecast to double over the next few years. But farmers and connoisseurs say traditional varieties are disappearing.
随着巴基斯坦和印度就巴斯马蒂大米展开争执，一些人担心它的生存前景。
预计未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍。但农民和鉴赏家表示，传统品种正在消失。
Basmati rice — the region’s “scented pearl” — was probably once exported to the Roman Empire, historians say, and is today in growing demand in the United States and Europe. Yet its origins have never been more divisive or its future more uncertain.
巴基斯坦拉合尔——早在这片土地成为印度和巴基斯坦边界之前，这里的农民就种植了一种珍贵的世界闻名的长粒大米。历史学家称，巴斯马蒂大米——该地区的“香米珍珠”——可能曾出口到罗马帝国，如今在美国和欧洲的需求不断增长。然而，它的起源从未如此具有争议性，未来也从未如此不确定。
Officials in New Delhi are pushing for basmati rice to be granted protected status in global markets as a uniquely Indian product. They have been met with vehement opposition from Pakistan, which claims the rice is part of a shared heritage between the two countries.
新德里的官员正推动巴斯马蒂大米作为印度独有的产品在全球市场获得保护地位。他们遭到了巴基斯坦的强烈反对，巴基斯坦声称这种大米是两国共同遗产的一部分。
But in the world’s basmati heartlands, many fear the real threat is being ignored by leaders in both nations. As analysts predict international demand for basmati to double over the next few years — reaching an estimated $27 billion by 2032 — farmers and rice connoisseurs say the signature strain is on the brink of disappearing.
但在世界巴斯马蒂大米的核心产区，许多人担心真正的威胁被两国领导人忽视了。随着分析人士预测未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍——到2032年预计达到270亿美元——农民和大米鉴赏家表示，这种标志性品种正濒临消失。
Basmati’s name is derived from an ancient Indo-Aryan word for “aromatic” and “fragrant,” and it is described by many here in almost religious terms.
巴斯马蒂的名字源自一个古老的印度-雅利安语词汇，意为“芳香”和“芬芳”，在这里，许多人用近乎宗教的语言描述它。
“There’s this special moment when you lift the lid of your metal pot and the steam comes out,” said Muhammad Nawaz, 37, a Pakistani chef. “It’s an eruption inside your nose; it intoxicates you.”
“当你揭开金属锅盖，蒸汽冒出来的那一刻，有一种特别的感受，”37岁的巴基斯坦厨师Muhammad Nawaz说。“它在你鼻子里爆发，让你陶醉。”
Nobody can say with certainty when exactly that began to change. But all agree that’s not what most basmati rice here tastes like these days — even if it carries the label.
没有人能确切地说出这种变化是从什么时候开始的。但所有人都同意，如今大多数巴斯马蒂大米的味道已经不再如此——即使它仍然贴着这个标签。
“Young farmers have lost the traditional knowledge of how to maintain genetic purity,” said Debal Deb, an ecologist who works with Indian farmers to conserve indigenous seeds. He called the debate over who owns basmati “a complete waste of energy on both sides.”
“年轻农民已经失去了如何保持基因纯度的传统知识，”与印度农民合作保护本土种子的生态学家Debal Deb说。他称关于谁拥有巴斯马蒂的争论“完全是双方在浪费精力”。
In the 1980s, Indian and Pakistani farmers seeking a market advantage began growing varieties that matured faster and produced higher yields but lacked basmati’s characteristic richness. As small farms gave way to large agribusiness over the following decades, quicker harvest cycles, processing shortcuts and soil degradation, partly caused by climate change, all contributed to a less fragrant rice.
20世纪80年代，印度和巴基斯坦的农民为了获得市场优势，开始种植成熟更快、产量更高但缺乏巴斯马蒂特有香味的品种。随着小农场在接下来的几十年里让位于大型农业企业，更快的收获周期、加工捷径以及部分由气候变化引起的土壤退化，都导致了大米的香味减弱。
But the new varieties are cheaper and easier to prepare at home. More important, according to exporters, most customers in the West can’t tell the difference.
但新品种更便宜，也更容易在家烹饪。更重要的是，根据出口商的说法，西方的大多数顾客无法分辨其中的区别。
In Lahore, and across this agricultural belt of South Asia, many feel that true basmati rice is quietly dying out. “We have compromised on the definition,” said Faisal Hassan, whose father became a national hero in Pakistan when he helped create a popular variety of basmati rice in the 1960s.
在拉合尔以及南亚的这片农业带，许多人感到真正的巴斯马蒂大米正在悄然消失。“我们在定义上妥协了，”Faisal Hassan说，他的父亲在20世纪60年代帮助培育了一种受欢迎的巴斯马蒂大米品种，成为巴基斯坦的民族英雄。
“This is suicidal,” he said.
“这是自杀行为，”他说。
Basmati’s global boom
巴斯马蒂的全球繁荣
Basmati rice is deeply rooted in the Punjab region, which today comprises a state in India and an adjacent Pakistani province. Early forms may have been cultivated here as long as 2,000 years ago, archaeologists have found; written references to the rice appear as early as the 16th century, when the Mughal Empire ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent.
巴斯马蒂大米深深植根于旁遮普地区，该地区如今包括印度的一个邦和巴基斯坦的一个相邻省份。考古学家发现，早在2000年前，这里可能就已经种植了早期形式的巴斯马蒂大米；书面记载最早出现在16世纪，当时莫卧儿帝国统治着印度次大陆的大部分地区。
“It was the food of emperors and kings,” said Raja Arslan Ullah Khan, a Pakistani rice exporter.
“它是皇帝和国王的食物，”巴基斯坦大米出口商Raja Arslan Ullah Khan说。
In the 1930s, Britain’s colonial government in India officially recognized the first standardized variety of basmati, which had been researched in a part of what would become the Pakistani Punjab province when British India was partitioned in 1947.
20世纪30年代，英国殖民政府在印度正式承认了第一个标准化的巴斯马蒂品种，该品种在1947年英属印度分治后成为巴基斯坦旁遮普省的一部分进行了研究。
Basmati rice wasn’t an immediate international success. Initial importers were mostly in the Middle East, which had a growing affinity for biryani, and among South Asian diasporas in Europe and the United States.
巴斯马蒂大米并未立即在国际上取得成功。最初的进口商主要集中在中东地区，那里对印度香饭的喜爱日益增长，以及欧洲和美国的南亚侨民。
From the start, India and Pakistan quarreled over who had the best basmati, and who had rightful claim to the name. In the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Pakistani farmers accused Indian soldiers of stealing their seeds; India subsequently accused its neighbor of copying its most prized varieties.
从一开始，印度和巴基斯坦就争论谁的巴斯马蒂最好，谁有权使用这个名字。在1965年的印巴战争中，巴基斯坦农民指责印度士兵偷走了他们的种子；印度随后指责其邻国复制了其最珍贵的品种。
“Our rice was far better in quality compared to that of India,” said Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood, a 55-year-old Pakistani farmer whose family has grown rice in the region for decades.
“我们的大米质量远优于印度，”55岁的巴基斯坦农民Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood说，他的家族在该地区种植大米已有数十年。
Ganesh Hingmire, an Indian professor who specializes in intellectual property disputes, couldn’t disagree more: “If you have an inferior quality, you have no right to claim it’s yours,” he said.
专门研究知识产权纠纷的印度教授Ganesh Hingmire则完全不同意：“如果你的质量较差，你就没有权利声称它是你的。”
In recent decades, India has undeniably gained the upper hand in the race to global basmati dominance. Its increasingly successful marketing strategies and export policies have outpaced those of Pakistan, which is “late to the party,” said Saboor Ahmed, a rice supplier in Lahore.
近几十年来，印度无疑在全球巴斯马蒂主导权的竞争中占据了上风。其日益成功的营销策略和出口政策已经超越了巴基斯坦，拉合尔的大米供应商Saboor Ahmed说，巴基斯坦“来得太晚了”。
The country is looking for opportunities to seize more market share, as it did after 2018, when Indian exports to Europe were affected by new E.U. pesticide limits.
该国正在寻找机会抢占更多市场份额，就像2018年印度对欧洲的出口受到欧盟新农药限制影响后所做的那样。
But “let’s be honest: Their variety is similar to ours,” said Yograjdeep Singh, a basmati rice business strategist in India. “Why are we fighting about this?”
但“说实话：他们的品种与我们的相似，”印度的巴斯马蒂大米商业策略师Yograjdeep Singh说。“我们为什么要为此争吵？”
New Delhi’s global efforts to enshrine its ownership of basmati have largely stalled. While an Indian case in the European unx is pending, Australia and New Zealand have rejected similar legal claims.
新德里在全球范围内确立其对巴斯马蒂所有权的努力大多停滞不前。尽管印度在欧盟的诉讼仍在进行中，但澳大利亚和新西兰已经拒绝了类似的法律主张。
A legacy in doubt
遗产的存疑
There are no exact figures for how much traditional basmati is still grown in Pakistan, but exporters and experts agree that the majority of rice produced here is now of the newer, high-yield varieties. On the other side of the border, Pusa Basmati 1121, or PB 1121, a newer strain, accounted for around 70 percent of all basmati cultivated in India’s Punjab state in 2019.
巴基斯坦目前种植的传统巴斯马蒂大米数量没有确切数据，但出口商和专家一致认为，这里生产的大米大部分已经是新的高产品种。在边境的另一边，Pusa Basmati 1121（或PB 1121）这一新品种占2019年印度旁遮普邦所有巴斯马蒂大米种植量的约70%。
It’s a trend that is unlikely to be reversed. According to one study, farmers netted an average of $1,400 per hectare of PB 1121, more than double the $650 they earned from older varieties.
这一趋势不太可能逆转。根据一项研究，农民种植PB 1121每公顷平均净赚1400美元，是种植老品种650美元的两倍多。
Deb, the Indian ecologist, maintains his own rice seed bank, part of a small but growing grassroots movement to conserve traditional basmati. “We maintain genetic purity of each variety,” he said, “and then distribute them to farmers for free.” He added that more extensive efforts are needed across the region if the original taste and smell of indigenous varieties are to endure.
印度生态学家Deb维护着自己的大米种子库，这是保护传统巴斯马蒂的小规模但不断增长的基层运动的一部分。“我们保持每个品种的基因纯度，”他说，“然后免费分发给农民。”他补充说，如果本土品种的原始味道和香气要得以延续，整个地区需要更广泛的努力
In Pakistan, people say basmati will always have a place at their tables, even if it’s not what it once was.
在巴基斯坦，人们说巴斯马蒂将永远在他们的餐桌上占有一席之地，即使它已不再是过去的样子。
Faqir Hussain, a Lahore-based restaurant owner, switched to serving his customers a cheaper long-grain alternative years ago. “People will probably forget that traditional basmati rice ever existed,” he said.
拉合尔的餐馆老板Faqir Hussain几年前就开始为顾客提供一种更便宜的长粒大米替代品。“人们可能会忘记传统巴斯马蒂大米曾经存在过，”他说。
Hussain and other businessmen in Pakistan are focused on catering to younger generations — the country’s median age is around 20 — who often lack the emotional connection to traditional basmati and the means to afford it.
Hussain和巴基斯坦的其他商人正专注于迎合年轻一代——该国的中位年龄约为20岁——他们往往对传统巴斯马蒂缺乏情感联系，也没有能力负担它。
Lahore-based waiter Saqib Ur Rahaman, 52, said he understands why many are moving on; dishes at his restaurant would double in price if the old varieties were still used.
52岁的拉合尔服务员Saqib Ur Rahaman说，他理解为什么许多人转向新品种；如果仍然使用老品种，他餐厅的菜品价格将翻倍。
For Rahaman, though, there’s no substitute for the original. He still receives the precious grains at affordable prices from his wife’s relatives, who live nearby in the rice-growing heartlands.
但对Rahaman来说，没有什么能替代原版。他仍然以实惠的价格从他妻子的亲戚那里获得这些珍贵的米粒，他们住在附近的大米种植核心区。
“As long as my in-laws are alive, I’ll be okay,” he said.
“只要我的岳父母还活着，我就没问题，”他说。
As Pakistan and India spar over basmati rice, some fear for its survival
International demand for basmati rice is forecast to double over the next few years. But farmers and connoisseurs say traditional varieties are disappearing.
随着巴基斯坦和印度就巴斯马蒂大米展开争执，一些人担心它的生存前景。
预计未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍。但农民和鉴赏家表示，传统品种正在消失。
Basmati rice — the region’s “scented pearl” — was probably once exported to the Roman Empire, historians say, and is today in growing demand in the United States and Europe. Yet its origins have never been more divisive or its future more uncertain.
巴基斯坦拉合尔——早在这片土地成为印度和巴基斯坦边界之前，这里的农民就种植了一种珍贵的世界闻名的长粒大米。历史学家称，巴斯马蒂大米——该地区的“香米珍珠”——可能曾出口到罗马帝国，如今在美国和欧洲的需求不断增长。然而，它的起源从未如此具有争议性，未来也从未如此不确定。
Officials in New Delhi are pushing for basmati rice to be granted protected status in global markets as a uniquely Indian product. They have been met with vehement opposition from Pakistan, which claims the rice is part of a shared heritage between the two countries.
新德里的官员正推动巴斯马蒂大米作为印度独有的产品在全球市场获得保护地位。他们遭到了巴基斯坦的强烈反对，巴基斯坦声称这种大米是两国共同遗产的一部分。
But in the world’s basmati heartlands, many fear the real threat is being ignored by leaders in both nations. As analysts predict international demand for basmati to double over the next few years — reaching an estimated $27 billion by 2032 — farmers and rice connoisseurs say the signature strain is on the brink of disappearing.
但在世界巴斯马蒂大米的核心产区，许多人担心真正的威胁被两国领导人忽视了。随着分析人士预测未来几年国际对巴斯马蒂大米的需求将翻倍——到2032年预计达到270亿美元——农民和大米鉴赏家表示，这种标志性品种正濒临消失。
Basmati’s name is derived from an ancient Indo-Aryan word for “aromatic” and “fragrant,” and it is described by many here in almost religious terms.
巴斯马蒂的名字源自一个古老的印度-雅利安语词汇，意为“芳香”和“芬芳”，在这里，许多人用近乎宗教的语言描述它。
“There’s this special moment when you lift the lid of your metal pot and the steam comes out,” said Muhammad Nawaz, 37, a Pakistani chef. “It’s an eruption inside your nose; it intoxicates you.”
“当你揭开金属锅盖，蒸汽冒出来的那一刻，有一种特别的感受，”37岁的巴基斯坦厨师Muhammad Nawaz说。“它在你鼻子里爆发，让你陶醉。”
Nobody can say with certainty when exactly that began to change. But all agree that’s not what most basmati rice here tastes like these days — even if it carries the label.
没有人能确切地说出这种变化是从什么时候开始的。但所有人都同意，如今大多数巴斯马蒂大米的味道已经不再如此——即使它仍然贴着这个标签。
“Young farmers have lost the traditional knowledge of how to maintain genetic purity,” said Debal Deb, an ecologist who works with Indian farmers to conserve indigenous seeds. He called the debate over who owns basmati “a complete waste of energy on both sides.”
“年轻农民已经失去了如何保持基因纯度的传统知识，”与印度农民合作保护本土种子的生态学家Debal Deb说。他称关于谁拥有巴斯马蒂的争论“完全是双方在浪费精力”。
In the 1980s, Indian and Pakistani farmers seeking a market advantage began growing varieties that matured faster and produced higher yields but lacked basmati’s characteristic richness. As small farms gave way to large agribusiness over the following decades, quicker harvest cycles, processing shortcuts and soil degradation, partly caused by climate change, all contributed to a less fragrant rice.
20世纪80年代，印度和巴基斯坦的农民为了获得市场优势，开始种植成熟更快、产量更高但缺乏巴斯马蒂特有香味的品种。随着小农场在接下来的几十年里让位于大型农业企业，更快的收获周期、加工捷径以及部分由气候变化引起的土壤退化，都导致了大米的香味减弱。
But the new varieties are cheaper and easier to prepare at home. More important, according to exporters, most customers in the West can’t tell the difference.
但新品种更便宜，也更容易在家烹饪。更重要的是，根据出口商的说法，西方的大多数顾客无法分辨其中的区别。
In Lahore, and across this agricultural belt of South Asia, many feel that true basmati rice is quietly dying out. “We have compromised on the definition,” said Faisal Hassan, whose father became a national hero in Pakistan when he helped create a popular variety of basmati rice in the 1960s.
在拉合尔以及南亚的这片农业带，许多人感到真正的巴斯马蒂大米正在悄然消失。“我们在定义上妥协了，”Faisal Hassan说，他的父亲在20世纪60年代帮助培育了一种受欢迎的巴斯马蒂大米品种，成为巴基斯坦的民族英雄。
“This is suicidal,” he said.
“这是自杀行为，”他说。
Basmati’s global boom
巴斯马蒂的全球繁荣
Basmati rice is deeply rooted in the Punjab region, which today comprises a state in India and an adjacent Pakistani province. Early forms may have been cultivated here as long as 2,000 years ago, archaeologists have found; written references to the rice appear as early as the 16th century, when the Mughal Empire ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent.
巴斯马蒂大米深深植根于旁遮普地区，该地区如今包括印度的一个邦和巴基斯坦的一个相邻省份。考古学家发现，早在2000年前，这里可能就已经种植了早期形式的巴斯马蒂大米；书面记载最早出现在16世纪，当时莫卧儿帝国统治着印度次大陆的大部分地区。
“It was the food of emperors and kings,” said Raja Arslan Ullah Khan, a Pakistani rice exporter.
“它是皇帝和国王的食物，”巴基斯坦大米出口商Raja Arslan Ullah Khan说。
In the 1930s, Britain’s colonial government in India officially recognized the first standardized variety of basmati, which had been researched in a part of what would become the Pakistani Punjab province when British India was partitioned in 1947.
20世纪30年代，英国殖民政府在印度正式承认了第一个标准化的巴斯马蒂品种，该品种在1947年英属印度分治后成为巴基斯坦旁遮普省的一部分进行了研究。
Basmati rice wasn’t an immediate international success. Initial importers were mostly in the Middle East, which had a growing affinity for biryani, and among South Asian diasporas in Europe and the United States.
巴斯马蒂大米并未立即在国际上取得成功。最初的进口商主要集中在中东地区，那里对印度香饭的喜爱日益增长，以及欧洲和美国的南亚侨民。
From the start, India and Pakistan quarreled over who had the best basmati, and who had rightful claim to the name. In the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, Pakistani farmers accused Indian soldiers of stealing their seeds; India subsequently accused its neighbor of copying its most prized varieties.
从一开始，印度和巴基斯坦就争论谁的巴斯马蒂最好，谁有权使用这个名字。在1965年的印巴战争中，巴基斯坦农民指责印度士兵偷走了他们的种子；印度随后指责其邻国复制了其最珍贵的品种。
“Our rice was far better in quality compared to that of India,” said Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood, a 55-year-old Pakistani farmer whose family has grown rice in the region for decades.
“我们的大米质量远优于印度，”55岁的巴基斯坦农民Chaudhry Arshad Mahmood说，他的家族在该地区种植大米已有数十年。
Ganesh Hingmire, an Indian professor who specializes in intellectual property disputes, couldn’t disagree more: “If you have an inferior quality, you have no right to claim it’s yours,” he said.
专门研究知识产权纠纷的印度教授Ganesh Hingmire则完全不同意：“如果你的质量较差，你就没有权利声称它是你的。”
In recent decades, India has undeniably gained the upper hand in the race to global basmati dominance. Its increasingly successful marketing strategies and export policies have outpaced those of Pakistan, which is “late to the party,” said Saboor Ahmed, a rice supplier in Lahore.
近几十年来，印度无疑在全球巴斯马蒂主导权的竞争中占据了上风。其日益成功的营销策略和出口政策已经超越了巴基斯坦，拉合尔的大米供应商Saboor Ahmed说，巴基斯坦“来得太晚了”。
The country is looking for opportunities to seize more market share, as it did after 2018, when Indian exports to Europe were affected by new E.U. pesticide limits.
该国正在寻找机会抢占更多市场份额，就像2018年印度对欧洲的出口受到欧盟新农药限制影响后所做的那样。
But “let’s be honest: Their variety is similar to ours,” said Yograjdeep Singh, a basmati rice business strategist in India. “Why are we fighting about this?”
但“说实话：他们的品种与我们的相似，”印度的巴斯马蒂大米商业策略师Yograjdeep Singh说。“我们为什么要为此争吵？”
New Delhi’s global efforts to enshrine its ownership of basmati have largely stalled. While an Indian case in the European unx is pending, Australia and New Zealand have rejected similar legal claims.
新德里在全球范围内确立其对巴斯马蒂所有权的努力大多停滞不前。尽管印度在欧盟的诉讼仍在进行中，但澳大利亚和新西兰已经拒绝了类似的法律主张。
A legacy in doubt
遗产的存疑
There are no exact figures for how much traditional basmati is still grown in Pakistan, but exporters and experts agree that the majority of rice produced here is now of the newer, high-yield varieties. On the other side of the border, Pusa Basmati 1121, or PB 1121, a newer strain, accounted for around 70 percent of all basmati cultivated in India’s Punjab state in 2019.
巴基斯坦目前种植的传统巴斯马蒂大米数量没有确切数据，但出口商和专家一致认为，这里生产的大米大部分已经是新的高产品种。在边境的另一边，Pusa Basmati 1121（或PB 1121）这一新品种占2019年印度旁遮普邦所有巴斯马蒂大米种植量的约70%。
It’s a trend that is unlikely to be reversed. According to one study, farmers netted an average of $1,400 per hectare of PB 1121, more than double the $650 they earned from older varieties.
这一趋势不太可能逆转。根据一项研究，农民种植PB 1121每公顷平均净赚1400美元，是种植老品种650美元的两倍多。
Deb, the Indian ecologist, maintains his own rice seed bank, part of a small but growing grassroots movement to conserve traditional basmati. “We maintain genetic purity of each variety,” he said, “and then distribute them to farmers for free.” He added that more extensive efforts are needed across the region if the original taste and smell of indigenous varieties are to endure.
印度生态学家Deb维护着自己的大米种子库，这是保护传统巴斯马蒂的小规模但不断增长的基层运动的一部分。“我们保持每个品种的基因纯度，”他说，“然后免费分发给农民。”他补充说，如果本土品种的原始味道和香气要得以延续，整个地区需要更广泛的努力
In Pakistan, people say basmati will always have a place at their tables, even if it’s not what it once was.
在巴基斯坦，人们说巴斯马蒂将永远在他们的餐桌上占有一席之地，即使它已不再是过去的样子。
Faqir Hussain, a Lahore-based restaurant owner, switched to serving his customers a cheaper long-grain alternative years ago. “People will probably forget that traditional basmati rice ever existed,” he said.
拉合尔的餐馆老板Faqir Hussain几年前就开始为顾客提供一种更便宜的长粒大米替代品。“人们可能会忘记传统巴斯马蒂大米曾经存在过，”他说。
Hussain and other businessmen in Pakistan are focused on catering to younger generations — the country’s median age is around 20 — who often lack the emotional connection to traditional basmati and the means to afford it.
Hussain和巴基斯坦的其他商人正专注于迎合年轻一代——该国的中位年龄约为20岁——他们往往对传统巴斯马蒂缺乏情感联系，也没有能力负担它。
Lahore-based waiter Saqib Ur Rahaman, 52, said he understands why many are moving on; dishes at his restaurant would double in price if the old varieties were still used.
52岁的拉合尔服务员Saqib Ur Rahaman说，他理解为什么许多人转向新品种；如果仍然使用老品种，他餐厅的菜品价格将翻倍。
For Rahaman, though, there’s no substitute for the original. He still receives the precious grains at affordable prices from his wife’s relatives, who live nearby in the rice-growing heartlands.
但对Rahaman来说，没有什么能替代原版。他仍然以实惠的价格从他妻子的亲戚那里获得这些珍贵的米粒，他们住在附近的大米种植核心区。
“As long as my in-laws are alive, I’ll be okay,” he said.
“只要我的岳父母还活着，我就没问题，”他说。
很赞 0
收藏