PANAJI
The process to enlist five Goan specialities, including Mankurad mango, cashew, Agassaim brinjol, Satshira bhendi and Goan Bebinca, for Geographical Indication is in the final stage and the GI controllers have accepted these five goods after testing them.
They have also asked the State Science and Technology Board to submit detailed report on it.
Hence, it is expected that these five items will get enlisted under Geographical Indication (GI), stated State Science and Technology Board official Deepak Parab.
A GI tag is a sign used on goods that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. In other words, GI goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refers to the geographical indication referring to a country or to a place.
As Mankurad mango, cashew, Agassaim brinjol, Satshira bhendi and Goan Bebinca have their specific origin in the State, their names were suggested for the GI enlisting.
The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Prof (Dr) Unnat P Pandit who is also the Director of Geographical Indication (GI) had visited Goa in December to carry out tests and inspect these five goods.
“Dr Pandit had asked our Science and Technology Board to send a report regarding this subject, saying that the report will be submitted to the GI Controller. After the GI Controller gives sanction, the report is kept open for 90 days objections from concerned parties, and if nobody raised any objection during this period, the said goods are issued the certificate of nomination as GI goods,” said Parab.
Meanwhile, five State specialities like Khola mirchi, Harmal mirchi, cashew feni, Maydoli keli (bananas from Moira) and Goan khaje have already got the GI tag, after which the State government has asked GI certification for the said five goods, concluded Parab.
