GI
TAGS – ECONOMY
News:
From red ant chutney to
black rice, the 7 Odisha products that have bagged GI tags
What's
in the news?
●
Seven
products from Odisha, ranging from the Similipal Kai chutney
made with red weaver ants to the embroidered Kapdaganda shawl, have bagged the
coveted Geographical Indication (GI) tag in recognition of their exclusivity to
the state.
Key
takeaways:
●
Geographical Indications of goods refer to
the place of origin of a product.
●
Such tags are accorded as they convey an
assurance of quality and distinctiveness, attributable to the fact of its
origin in a specific geographical locality, region or country.
●
In India, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, awards GIs.
●
A GI registration is given to an area, not a trader, but once a product gets the
registration, traders dealing in the product can apply to sell it with the GI
logo.
●
Authorised traders are each assigned a
unique GI number.
●
If any unauthorised trader tries selling
the product under that name, they can be prosecuted under The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection)
Act, 1999.
●
A marker of authentic products, the GI
tags also help protect the interests of the local growers and artisans by
preventing duplicity of the products and sale from unauthorised traders.
●
Consumers, through the tags, can know
which goods are certified.
Products
got GI Tags from Odisha:
1.
Kapdaganda shawl:
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As per the Odisha State Tribal Museum,
“Worn by both men and women this
distinctive shawl is embroidered with red, yellow and green thread and is often
presented during courtship as a sign of formal commitment.”
●
Woven and embroidered by the women of the Dongria Kondh tribe, a particularly
vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) in Odisha, reflects the rich tribal heritage
of the Dongria Kondhs.
●
It is embroidered on an off-white coarse
cloth with red, yellow and green coloured threads, with each colour holding
significance.
●
Green symbolises the mountains and hills,
and yellow stands for peace and happiness. Red stands as the symbol of blood.
2.
Lanjia Saura Painting:
●
The painting, one of the oldest tribal art
forms, is also known as Idital.
●
The artworks are famous for their beauty, aesthetics, ritualistic association
and iconography.
●
The Odisha State Tribal Museum states that
there are 62 types of idital, each for a specific occasion or ritual.
●
The art form belongs to the Lanjia Saura community, a PVTG largely
residing in the Rayagada district. These paintings are in the form of exterior
murals painted on the mud walls of homes.
●
It is believed that the Lanjia Sauras
paint their walls with Idital artworks to show gratitude to their deities and
forefathers, and also for the well-being of their community.
●
Reflecting
the love and affection of the primitive tribes for nature,
they feature subjects like tribal humans, trees, animals, birds, the Sun and
the Moon.
3.
Koraput Kala Jeera Rice:
●
The black-coloured
rice variety, also known as the
‘Prince of Rice’, is famous for its aroma,
taste, texture and nutritional value.
●
Tribal farmers of the Koraput region have
preserved the rice variety for around 1,000 years.
●
As the rice grains resemble cumin seeds, it is also called Kala Jeera. Consumption of the rice variety helps in increasing haemoglobin levels and improves
metabolism in the body.
●
The farmers and producers of Koraput Kala
Jeera rice have followed the traditional knowledge and practices in
cultivation.
●
Ancient tales also speak about the
physical, mental and spiritual delights resulting from the consumption of the
rice variety.
4.
Similipal Kai chutney:
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The chutney made with red weaver ants is a traditional delicacy of the tribals in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
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The ants are found in the forests of
Mayurbhanj, including in the Similipal
forests – Asia’s second-largest biosphere.
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Rich in medicinal and nutritional value,
the chutney is believed to be a good source of nutrients like protein, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron,
magnesium, potassium, etc.
●
The tribals prepare the Kai chutney by
grinding the ants manually on a Sil
Batta or the grinding stone.
●
Mayurbhanj’s tribals also earn their
livelihood by selling the red ants and the chutney made from the ants.
●
They believe that its consumption helps
boost immunity and prevents diseases.
5.
Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal:
●
Nayagarh Kanteimundi Brinjal is known for
its prickly thorns on the stems and the
whole plant.
●
The green and round fruits contain more seeds as compared to other
genotypes.
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It is famous for its unique taste and relatively short quick cooking time.
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The plants are resistant to major insects and can be grown with minimal pesticide.
6.
Odisha Khajuri Guda:
●
Odisha’s “Khajuri Guda” or jaggery is a natural sweetener extracted from date palm trees and has
its origin in the Gajapati district.
●
Traditionally, the jaggery is prepared in
a trapezoidal form called ‘Patali Gur’
and is organic by nature.
●
It is dark brown and has a unique taste.
7.
Dhenkanal Magji:
●
Dhenkanal Magji is a type of sweet made from cheese from buffalo milk, with
distinct characteristics in terms of appearance, taste, flavour, shape, and
size.
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It also has unique nutritional values that
distinguish it from other cheese-based sweets.
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The region was the hinterland of buffalo
milk production and cheese was the third largest produce, after milk and curd.
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The sweet is prepared by draining moisture
from the cheese and then frying it, finally forming balls from the mixture.
Further
Reference: