Recently, the small town of Kovilpatti situated in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, famous as a matchstick-making hub, catapulted into fame when its traditional speciality, Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai (peanut candy), was awarded a Geographical Indication tag, commonly referred to as GI tag. The recognition brought double bonanza to the manufacturers and retailers of the sweet treat. It not only marked the end of a year wait to fame, but resulted in the acknowledgement of a century of existence of the cottage industry in Kovilpatti and its neighbouring villages.
What’s a GI tag?
Approved by the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation, a GI tag recognises the place of origin of a product and the specific qualities or means of production associated with it. Acting as a certification, it is a method of ensuring that similar products from elsewhere cannot be sold under the same name. It is renewable after 10 years. Some examples of....
