Tamil Nadu's Salem Sago gets GI tag

Tags: State News

Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, also known as SagoServe, recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Salem Sago.

An Overview of the News

• District Collector S Karmegam presented the GI certificate to Sagoserv Administrator Lalithaditya Neelam at an official program.

• Salem district of Tamil Nadu has previously received the GI tag for raw silk and Malgoa mango, thereby contributing to the recognition of the region.

• Other notable products from different regions, such as Tirupati Laddu and Palani Panchamirtham have also received the GI tag.

• This recognition of Salem sago with a GI tag is expected to boost business opportunities for sago farmers and traders in the region.

• Tamil Nadu contributes significantly to the national sago production, accounting for 40% of the total production.

• Salem holds the leading position in sago production in Tamil Nadu.

• Sagosarva, established in 1981, is a cooperative society with 374 members from various districts including Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Erode, Perambalur, Trichy, Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram.

What is a GI tag?

• A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign given to products coming from a specific geographical location.

• GIs certify that products are made using traditional methods or have specific qualities due to their origin.

• It is used for food, handicrafts and industrial products.

• The GI tag ensures that only authorized users can use the product name.

Who awards and regulates geographical indications?

• These are a type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) recognized and protected under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.

• The World Trade Organization (WTO)'s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) provides a framework for the protection of GIs at the international level.

• In India, registration and protection of GIs is governed by theGeographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in September 2003.