Farmer’s Week: Prominent GI Tags 2021 In India – Goa’s Khola Chillies
Apart from beaches and the go-to destination for holidays, Goa made headlines this year for gaining a GI tag for their famous Khola Chillies. Grown on the hills of Khola village in the Canacona taluka region of Goa it is a big win for the farmers of Canacona. The GI tag gives them exclusive brand protection rights and opens up opportunities to the cultivators of this ancient spice at a global level. It is believed that these chillies were first introduced to Goa by the Portuguese. It is the state’s first-ever GI tag.
With the youth’s dwindling interest in agriculture, it is a hope that as the demand for the Khola chilli goes up due to its newfound recognition, profits will increase and some youth may be motivated to pursue farming especially of such coveted and ancient spices in the region. The government is now trying to gain an organic certification on the farming of the Khola chilli, so that the farmers can get a premium rate on their produce, boosting profitability.
GI tags offer so much more than just protection, they also work as a much-needed morale boost for the local population and motivate the upcoming generations to keep certain practices, produce etc alive.
Image source: sahasa.in
