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Bardhaman district’s Gobindobhog Rice bags GI tag

Updated: Aug 28, 2017 06:00:20am
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Bardhaman district’s Gobindobhog Rice bags GI tag

Kolkata, Aug 28 (KNN) The Gobindobhog rice, a speciality of West Bengal’s Bardhaman district, has got the Geographical Indication (GI) status.

The region of Bardhaman (now divided into the districts of Purba and Paschim Bardhaman) is known as the Rice Bowl of Bengal mainly because of Gobindobhog rice, a speciality of the district.

The GI tag is given to a product to indicate its specific geographical location or point of origin. The tag ensures none other than those authorised are allowed to use the product name.

As a result of getting the GI tag, as the certification is also called, rice from other regions or rice of other varieties cannot be branded as ‘gobindobhog’.

Hence, the marketability of the rice would be strengthened, for the local, national and international markets, said AITC.

This variety of rice is primarily cultivated in Purba Bardhaman district, in the southern basin of the Damodar River in the Raina 1, Raina 2 and Khandaghosh blocks. Gobindobhog was cultivated in an area of 35 hectares last year, and of this, 20 hectares were spread over an area of Raina 1 and Raina 2 blocks.

The south Damodar belt has been the traditional area of gobindobhog rice cultivation. The rice has several advantages. It is cultivated late, hence not much affected by rains. It is less prone to pests. The productivity per area is high, and also the price the cultivators get.

'Gobindobhog' is a non-basmati indigenous, aromatic rice of West Bengal being grown in the state for the past 300 years. It is has short white kernels with a good cooking quality and pleasant aroma.

The rice is popular in the domestic market as well in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. (KNN Bureau)

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