WB Govt wants GI tag for 4 sweets to protect from imitation and boost export

Kolkata, Feb 23 (KNN) The West Bengal Government is planning to get geographical identification (GI) certification for four traditional sweets of the state with a view to protect them from imitations and for exporting them in the future, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) said.

The GI tags have been sought for four sweets - ‘moa’ of Joynagar, ‘sarpuria’ of Krishnanagar, and ‘sitabhog’ and ‘mihidana’ of Bardhaman.

A GI tag is indicated by a logo on the packaging and during the branding of products that have specific geographical origins and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

‘Joynagarer moa’ is made of puffed rice and date palm jaggery at Joynagar in South 24-Parganas district, Krishnanagar in Nadia district is famous for sarpuria, made of milk cream. Sitabhog and mihidana are rice-based sweets of Bardhaman.

The government also has plans to export sweets from the state in the future and the GI tags would be of immense help in that endeavour, said AITC.

Good packaging is also needed to increase the shelf life of Bengali sweets as a majority of them are made of chhana, that is, cottage cheese. (KNN Bureau)