GI Tag to Black Rice & Terracotta
- Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
- 07, Jul 2021
Why in News?
GI tag was given to the black rice variety of Manipur and terracotta of Gorakhpur in April 2020.
In-Detail:
- The Geographical Indication tag had been given to Chak-Hao, a black rice variety of Manipur and Gorakhpur terracotta on 30 April.
- The Consortium of Producers of Chak-Hao black rice, Manipur filed the application. It was aided by the Department of Agriculture, Government of Manipur and the North-Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC).
- The application for the terracotta was filed by the Laxmi Terracotta Murtikala Kendra in Uttar Pradesh.
Black Rice:
- Black rice, known as Chak-Hao, is in cultivation in Manipur for over centuries.
- It is known for its special aroma and glutinous rice. It belongs to the species oryza sativa.
- It is normally served as a dessert – Chak-Hao kheer – during the community feasts.
- It is a good source of vitamin E, fiber, high sources of anthocyanins, iron and antioxidants.
- Research indicates that consumption of black rice prevents and manages ailments such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, high cholesterol, allergies, ageing signs and cancers.
- The black rice takes the longest cooking time of 40 to 45 mins. This is due to the presence of fibrous bran layer and higher crude content.
- The Chak-Hao cultivation is practised in various forms such as directly sowing the pre-soaked seeds, transplantation of rice seedlings raised in the nurseries and puddle fields practice in wetlands.
Terracotta:
- The terracotta of Gorakhpur is the old traditional ceramic artwork. The products are made from the special soil found in the Bhathat area of Gorakhpur district Uttar Pradesh.
- Baked-clay is called as Terracotta.
- The artists make various structures like bells, vases, animal figures, idols, lamps and chandeliers with hand-applied ornamentation.
- The major terracotta products include Hauda Elephants, Mahawatdar horse, deer, camel, five-faced Ganesh, etc.
About the GI Tag:
- The Geographical Indication (GI tag) is a sign used on products that have a unique geographic origin and gain popularity due to its origin.
- The Geographical Indication of Goods ACT, 1999 came into force from 15 September 2003.
- GI Act is defined under Article 22(1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
- Some of the products that received GI tags recently are Kovilpatti kadalai mittai of Tamil Nadu, Gulbarga Tur Dal of Karnataka, Khola Chilli of Goa, and Kaji Nemu of Assam.
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Facts for Prelims:
Ayuraksha:
All India Institute of Ayurveda under Ministry of AYUSH and Delhi Police have jointly launched ‘AYURAKSHA’ for police personnel.
- Ayurveda medicines will be provided to nearly 80000 personnel of Delhi Police.