The Marayoor Jaggery, the traditional and handmade product from Idukki district of Kerala, on March 8, 2019 received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Central Government.
The Marayoor jiggery finally managed to get the GI Tag after two years of continuous efforts by the Agricultural Department of the state.
The GI tag will provide more windows of opportunity to the traditional sugarcane farmers in Marayoor.
| Significance |
| At present, the farmers of the district receive only Rs 45 to 47 per kilo for the jiggery, instead of the expected Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kilo. One of the major challenges faced by the jiggery farmers is the sale of fake jaggery from Tamil Nadu, which is sold with the similar tag of Marayaoor jaggery. This has led to the constant fall in the price of the original jiggery. This has even forced several farmers to give up sugarcane cultivation. The GI tag will help the Marayoor farmers get more market and price. Moreover with the GI Tag, only the natives of the area can now produce and market the Marayoor jaggery exclusively. |
Marayoor Jaggery
• The Jaggery is produced in Marayoor, a town in Idukki district of Kerala.
• It is one of the sweetest jaggeries produced in Idukki.
• It is made from sugarcane and no chemicals are added during the manufacturing process.
• It is dark brown in colour, high in sweetness and iron, with less sodium content and insoluble impurities.
• It is not produced in modern factories or using modern equipment. It is prepared in sheds located on the sugarcane farm.
• Workers from Onakkallur, a village in Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu, are also engaged in the production of the Marayoor jaggery.
About Geographical Indication (GI)
• A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin. It can be a town, a region, or a country.
• The use of a geographical indication acts as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, and enjoys a certain reputation due to its geographical origin.
• It plays a very important role to increase the realm of the market.
• It boosts exports as well tourism and more importantly, it indirectly leads to sustainable development.
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