GI Tag to Black Rice & Terracotta

GI tag was given to the black rice variety of Manipur and terracotta of Gorakhpur in April 2020.

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, 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.

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.

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.

Facts for Prelims:

All India Institute of Ayurveda under Ministry of AYUSH and Delhi Police have jointly launched ‘AYURAKSHA’ for police personnel.