Last Thursday, 17 products from across six States/Union Territories got the Geographical Indications (GI) tag. The products ranged from handicrafts such as the Dongaria Kondh shawl from Odisha, to agricultural products such as the Sundarban Honey from West Bengal. A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
What is a GI tag?
In India, if one thinks of Tirupati or Nagpur, often laddus and oranges come to mind, respectively. Both these products have GI tags. While arguing for a GI tag, Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam said in their application that the highest quality of raw material is procured for the production of the laddu prasad and a variety of skills are required for each stage of its making. The GI tag for the Nagpur orange reportedly helped farmers brand their products under the tag.
