Government has granted Geographical Indicator (GI) status to around 57 agricultural products such as Darjeeling tea, Pokkali rice and Dharwad Pedha in the last ten years.
India enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect on September 15, 2003. The GI label certifies not only the geographical origin of a product but also confirms adherence to some production standards.
So far, 195 GIs have been registered with the GI Registry of India and of these, approximately 57 GIs are related to agriculture and manufactured food such as tea, coffee, mangoes, oranges, grapes, sweets and savoury snacks, the official said.
Kalanamak Rice from Uttar Pradesh was given the GI status early in this financial year, the official added.
Major farm products that enjoy GI status include: Darjeeling Tea, Kangra Tea, Coorg Orange, Mysore Betel leaf, Nanjanagud Banana, Mysore Jasmine, Navara Rice, Palakkadan Matta Rice, Malabar Pepper, Allahabad Surkha, Monsooned Malabar Arabica and Robusta Coffee, Coorg Green Cardamom, Eathomozhy Tall Coconut, Dharwad Pedha, Pokkali Rice, Laxman Bhog Mango and Naga Mircha, among others.
Besides farm products, handcrafts and manufactured goods are also given the GI tag. Even foreign products from various countries have been accorded GI status under the Indian act.
Some of the major foreign GIs include Peruvian Pisco, French Cognac and Champagne, American Napa Valley, Porto and Douro wines from Portugal, Mexican Tequila and Italian Parma, the official added.
