West Bengal GI Tags: Nolen Gurer Sandesh and Six More
Why in the news
West Bengal won GI recognition for seven traditional products, giving it 33 GI-tagged items overall. Most applications had been filed two to three years earlier.
New GI products
| Product | Description |
|---|---|
| Nolen Gurer Sandesh | Winter sweet of chhena and nolen gur (date palm jaggery) |
| Baruipur Guava | Grown in Baruipur; valued for taste and aroma |
| Kamarpukur’s White Bonde | Soft, syrupy sweet |
| Murshidabad’s Chhanabora | Dense milk-based sweet |
| Bishnupur’s Motichur Laddoo | Fine-textured laddoo |
| Radhunipagal Rice | Rare indigenous aromatic variety |
| Malda’s Nistari Silk Yarn | High-quality, lustrous silk |
Key facts
- State total after the grant: 33 GI items.
- Misti Udyog led the sweet applications.
- Baruipur Farmers Producer Company applied for the guava.
- The State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (Narendrapur) applied for Radhunipagal rice.
Significance
- Supports local MSMEs and rural jobs.
- Encourages sweet-makers and artisans.
- Helps branding and access to domestic and global markets.
Concerns
- Jaggery-based sweets such as Nolen Gurer Sandesh have a shelf life of just 7-10 days.
- High air freight cost limits exports; modern nolen gur packaging is already helping.
Way forward
- Pending GI bids: Shaktigarh’s Langcha, Krishnanager’s Swar Puria, Ranaghat’s Pantua and Mograhat’s Silver Craft.
Exam angle
- Total GI-tagged items in West Bengal: 33.
- Silk yarn that got GI: Malda’s Nistari.
- Indian products with GI status: over 500.