India’s GI-Tagged Fig

Why in news?

Purandar Highlands Farmers Producer Company Ltd has achieved a significant milestone by exporting India’s first GI-tagged fig juice to Poland.

The exported products are made from Purandar figs, renowned for their taste, size, and nutritional value, which have earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

This follows the successful export of India’s first commercial consignment of GI-tagged Purandar figs to Hong Kong in February 2023.

About GI Tag:

A Geographical Indication (GI tag) is a sign used on products with a specific geographical origin, possessing unique qualities or reputation due to that origin.

Type of products: Geographical indications can be used for a wide range of products, including agricultural products, foodstuffs, wines, spirits, handicrafts, and industrial products.

However, such products must possess specific qualities or characteristics attributable to their geographical origin.

Eligibility criteria: Any trader’s group, association, or organization can apply for a GI tag.

ØThey must demonstrate the product’s uniqueness with historical records and a detailed production process.

GI tags aren’t only for popular products; they exist for hundreds of items across states, each recognising a specific region and product.

International Conventions on GI Tags

These international conventions and systems play a crucial role in protecting and promoting products with a GI tag, ensuring they maintain their unique identity and quality.

Paris Convention: The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883) provides a multilateral framework for the protection of industrial property rights, including geographical indications.

ØIt establishes the principles of national treatment and the right of priority.

Lisbon System: The Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration (1958) establishes an international registration system for appellations of origin, a specific type of GI.

ØIt provides a centralised filing procedure and ensures protection for all contracting parties.

Madrid System: The Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks, while primarily focused on trademarks, can also be utilised for the protection of geographical indications through the registration of collective or certification marks.

GI Act of 1999

ØThe Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 is the main law in India that oversees the registration and protection of geographical indications

ØThe Geographical Indication Registry, a division of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade (DIPIT), is responsible for issuing GI tags, further safeguarding these unique products and their geographical origins.

Geographical Indications are recognized as a form of intellectual property rights under the TRIPS Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO).