Manipur’s Tamenglong Orange & Sirarakhong Hathei Chili were granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The GI tag not only will help popularise the agricultural produce but also aid export and farmer’s income.Tamenglong Orange.
Tamenglong Orange/ Mandarin (Citrus
- reticulata) is a unique crop that is only found in Tamenglong district, Manipur. The plant is a perennial evergreen of the Rutaceae family and subtropical in distribution. The oranges weigh around 90-110g.
Sirarakhong chili
- The Sirarakhong village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district celebrates Hathei Phanit festival, dedicated to their indigenous, organically-grown Sirarakhong chili.
- The Sirarakhong Hathei chili, in recent years, has become one of the most sought-after chilies of Manipur.
Other GI Tagg products from Manipur
- Sirarakhong Hathei chili and Tamenglong oranges are not the only ones that have been GI-tagged.
- Some of the other food items that have bagged the GI tag include Black Aromatic Rice (a.k.a Chak-hao), known for its attractive color and aromatic flavor.
- IKachai lemon (Citrus jambheri Lush.) from Manipur is also a GI tag holder.
- Similarly, in handloom, Manipur’s Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee, and Moirang Phee have the GI tag.
About GI TAG
- Geographical Indication identifies that the product is specific to a particular place. It is the indicator of where the product is born or produced, and of its exclusive quality. For example, Goan Fani, Madhubani paintings, Meerut Scissors, etc are exclusive to the place they originate.
- Darjeeling tea was the first product to get a GI tag in India
