Goan feni gets GI tag

Goa's humble feni, that comes under the category of “country liquor”, is now joining the ranks of Darjeeling Tea, Mysore Sandalwood and Scotch Whiskey. The cashew brew has been assigned a Geographical Indication Certificate, from the GI Registry in Chennai, making it the first such alcoholic beverage in the country to get the honour. With this, the product can be registered internationally, and only Goa will have the right to produce Feni. The GI certificate currently assigned to Feni is valid for 10 years. “We have received the GI Certificate for Feni. This is the first major step for claiming international registration,” Michael D’souza, director for department of science & technology, Government of Goa said. GI certificate lends authenticity on the unique properties a region could offer to a product, such as the weather and water that could not be replicated in any other part of the world. A prerequisite for getting a product registered internationally is registration under the local rules of GI Act. Mac Vaz, president of Goa Cashew Fertilizers and Distillers Association, said Feni provides employment directly and indirectly to about 40,000 people in the state and therefore an integral part of Goa’s economy. Though many African countries brew spirit from cashew fruit, the Goan Feni is qualitatively much superior, largely due to the uniqueness of the state’s weather and the production process that makes it a class apart from the cashew based spirit made in other parts of the world. Apart from the nature of the cashew apple, what makes the Goan Feni unique is the traditional method through which it is brewed. Called Postal method, it essentially involves a three tier distillation process. Goa makes Feni from coconut palms too, by distilling the toddy collected from the sap of coconut trees. However, the GI registration sought and received is only for cashew Feni.