Context

• Recently, the first shipment of Geographical Indication (GI) certified Bhalia variety of wheat was exported.

About

• The GI certified wheat has high protein content and is sweet in taste.
• The crop is grown mostly across Bhal region of Gujarat which includes Ahmadabad, Anand, Kheda, Bhavanagar, Surendranagar, Bharuch districts.
• The unique characteristic of the wheat variety is that grown in the rainfed condition without irrigation and cultivated in around two lakh hectares of agricultural land in Gujarat.
• The Bhalia variety of wheat received GI certification in 2011.

Significance

• This initiative is expected to give boost wheat exports from India.
• In 2020-21, the wheat exports from India witnessed a significant growth of 808 % to Rs 4034 crore from Rs 444 crore reported in the previous fiscal.
• India exported substantial quantity of grain to seven new countries - Yemen, Indonesia, Bhutan, Philippines, Iran, Cambodia and Myanmar during 2020-21.

About GI Tags

• A geographical indication or GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• It is used to identify agricultural, natural or manufactured goods
• This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.
• GI tags are covered under World Trade Organization.
• Geographical Indications are part of the intellectual property rights that comes under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
• In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999.

Benefits of registration of Geographical Indications

• It confers legal protection to Geographical Indications in India
• Prevents unauthorised use of a Registered Geographical Indication by others
• It provides legal protection to Indian Geographical Indications which in turn boost exports.
• It promotes economic prosperity of producers of goods produced in a geographical territory.

How a geographical indication is different from a trade mark?

• A trade mark is a sign which is used in the course of trade and it distinguishes goods or services of one enterprise from those of other enterprises.
• Whereas a geographical indication is an indication used to identify goods having special characteristics originating from a definite geographical territory.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1733412

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