29.7.11

Kesar Mango & Bhalia Wheat

Gir Kesar mango and Bhalia wheat from Gujarat have been accorded the geographical indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indication’s Registry in Chennai. Officials of the GI registry here said Junagadh Agriculture University and Gujarat Agro-Industries had applied for the tag on behalf of Junagadh farmers. The new status would help prevent sale of ordinary Kesar mangoes, grown mostly in Junagadh and Amreli districts, as Gir Kesar. The entire area around the Gir sanctuary would be home to this variety and only those grown in this area would be known as Gir Kesar. Mangoes from other parts of the state would be called Kesar though. The GI officials said the taste of Kesar mango from the Gir area was different from the varieties grown elsewhere. Once the GI certification is accorded, anyone passing off any other variety of mango as Gir Kesar can be jailed for a term extending up to two years or fined. The fine ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh under the Geographical Indication of Goods (registration and protection) Act, 1999.
Bhalia is a long grain of wheat grown without irrigation for centuries in the Bhal region of Gujarat. The wheat has high protein content and has a sweet taste. Bhal region is spread across Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad districts. The Gujarat government has been informed of the GI status, an official of the Geographical Indications Office here said.

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