Three Tamil Nadu-based products — Puliyankudi acid lime, Thooyamalli rice and Virudhunagar Samba vathal (chilli) — have applied for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The application was submitted, on Monday, April 25, in Chennai. The application for the Puliyankudi acid lime was made by the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board and Mel Puliyankudi farmers association and the facilitator was NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) Madurai Agri-Business Incubation Forum.
Puliyankudi, a village in Tamil Nadu is famous for acid lime cultivation, and is known as the 'Lemon City' of Tamil Nadu. The lemon that grows in this region weighs about 50 grams and each tree bears around 900 to 950 fruits. Kadayam Lemon, which is popular in this area is noted for its taste and juiciness. It is grown in Puliyankudi, Sankarankovil, Kadayam, Kadayanallur, Kuruvikulam and adjoining areas.
The GI tag for Virudhunagar Sambha Vathal was sought by Virudhunagar Chillies' Merchant Association and Tamil Nadu State Agriculture Marketing Board. In Tamil Nadu, red chilies are mainly grown in Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Thoothukudi. The major markets for the chilies are also located in these areas. Virudhunagar Sambha Vathal is long, slender and bright red, and has a length of 6 to 6.5 cm and has a sharp tip and bulged shoulders. It also has a good capsaicin content and these chilies are preferred, especially for oleoresin extraction.
Tamil Nadu State Agriculture Marketing Board facilitated by NABARD Madurai Agri-Business Incubator Forum was the applicant for Thooyamalli rice. The rice which is in ‘jasmine colour’ is cultivated for 135-140 days and grows up to a height of 115-125 cm and yields about 1,125 kg per acre. It is rich in protein and has high-fat content and is high in iron, magnesium and zinc.
In the past week, the GI Head Office in Chennai has received applications from various products across the country like West Bengal's Kolkatti Jewellery and the Begampur cotton handloom saree. Goa Hilario Mango and Taleigao Vayingim (brinjal) also applied for the GI tag last week at the Chennai head office. GI is a label that is applied to products that have a geographical origin and have characteristics that are related to that particular location and are unique. The owner of the GI tag has exclusive rights to the product.