Context

• Recently, the Central Government issued certification of geographical indication (GI) for saffron grown in Kashmir Valley. It thus becoming the eighth product of Jammu and Kashmir to get GI certification tag.

Facts to Know

• Interestingly, all of them are Kashmiri products, even as eligible products from Jammu region await their maiden tag.
• The other seven products are Kashmiri Pashmina, Kashmiri Sozani Craft, Kani Shawl, Kashmir Paper Machie, Kashmiri Walnut Carving, Khatamband, and Kashmiri Hand Knotted Carpet.

Back to Basics

About Kashmir Saffron

• Kashmir saffron is the only saffron in the world that is grown at an altitude of 1,600 meters which adds to its unique characteristics like longer and thicket stigma, natural deep-red colour, high aroma, bitter flavour, chemical free processing and high quality colour strength, flavour and bitterness.
• There are three types of saffron available in Kashmir — Lachha Saffron, Mongra Saffron and Guchhi Saffron.
• Pampore, in the Pulwama district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, is known as the hub of saffron cultivation. It is also grown in Budgaum, Kishtwar and Srinagar.

About GI Tag

• According to  Article 22 (I) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPS), GI tags are “indications which identify a good as originating in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.”
• India enacted Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, to fulfil the World Trade Organization’s agreement of 1994 on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) that laid down set of standards by which, GIs could be legally enforceable in WTO member states. The Act came into force from 15th September, 2003 and Darjeeling Tea was the first product of India to receive GI tag in 2004-05.