GI Certified Bhalia Wheat: Gujarat

• 08 Jul 2021

Why in News

Recently, the first shipment of Geographical Indication (GI) certified Bhalia variety of wheat was exported to Kenya and Sri Lanka from Gujarat.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The Bhalia variety of wheat received GI certification in July, 2011.
  • This Wheat has high protein content and is sweet in taste.
  • This crop is grown mostly across the Bhal region of Gujarat which includes Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Bhavanagar, Surendranagar, Bharuch districts.
  • This variety is grown in the rainfed condition without irrigation.
• Other GI products from Gujarat are:
  
  • Latest is the wooden printing blocks of Pethapur and others are, furniture made in Sankheda, agates from Khambhat, Kutch embroidery, zari craft from Surat, patola from Patan, bandhani from Jamnagar, and Kesar mangoes from Gir.
• Geographical Indication Status:
  
  • GI is an indication used to identify goods having special characteristics originating from a definite geographical territory.
    
    • It is used for agricultural, natural and manufactured goods.
  • The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
    
    • The Act is administered by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and TradeMarks- who is the Registrar of Geographical Indications.
    • The Geographical Indications Registry is located at Chennai.
  • The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10 years each.
  • It is also a part of the World Trade Organisation’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
  • Recent Examples: Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting, Telangana’s Telia Rumal, Tirur Vetilla (Kerala), Dindigul Lock and Kandangi Saree (Tamil Nadu), Odisha Rasagola, Shahi Litchi (Bihar), etc.
  • Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA - Ministry of Commerce and Industry) has a focus on promotion of exports of GI products.
    
    • Recently, a consignment of Dahanu Gholvad sapota was exported from Maharashtra’s Palghar district.

Wheat

• Rabi Crop: It is sown in October-December and harvested during April-June.
• Temperature: Between 10-15°C (Sowing time) and 21-26°C (Ripening & Harvesting) with bright sunlight.
• Rainfall: Around 75-100 cm.
• Soil Type: Well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy (Ganga-Satluj plains and black soil region of the Deccan).
• Major wheat growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat.
  
  • India is the second largest producer after China.
  • Success of the Green Revolution contributed to the growth of Rabi crops, especially wheat.
• Macro Management Mode of Agriculture, National Food Security Mission and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana are few government initiatives to support wheat cultivation.
• The wheat exports from India witnessed a significant growth of 808% in the fiscal 2020-21.
  
  • India exported a substantial quantity of grain to seven new countries - Yemen, Indonesia, Bhutan, Philippines, Iran, Cambodia and Myanmar during 2020-21.

Source: PIB