The Indian subcontinent recently witnessed a significant event in its agricultural and trade sector. The maiden export shipment of Bhalia, a Geographical Indication (GI) certified wheat variety, has been dispatched to Kenya and Sri Lanka from Gujarat, marking a milestone in India’s agricultural sector.
Bhalia Wheat and Its Features
The Bhalia variety of wheat received its GI certification back in July 2011. Noted for its high protein content and characteristic sweet taste, this wheat strain is primarily cultivated across the Bhal region of Gujarat which includes Ahmedabad, Anand, Kheda, Bhavnagar, Surendranagar, and Bharuch districts. This region offers rainfed conditions where Bhalia wheat flourishes without the need for irrigation.
Gujarat’s Geographical Indication Treasures
Gujarat stands as a rich repository of several other GI products aside from Bhalia wheat. They include wooden printing blocks from Pethapur, Sankheda-made furniture, Khambhat’s agates, Kutch embroidery, Surat’s zari craft, patola from Patan, Jamnagar’s bandhani, and Gir’s Kesar mangoes.
Understanding Geographical Indication Status
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a unique marker applied to goods embodying specific characteristics that originate from a defined geographical territory. Agricultural, natural, and manufactured goods can all be designated with a GI tag. In India, the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 manages the registration and protection of geographical indications. The Controller General of Patents, Designs and TradeMarks, who also acts as the Registrar of Geographical Indications, administers this Act.
Examples of Recent GI Recognitions
In recent times, several unique products across the nation received the GI status. These include Jharkhand’s Sohrai Khovar painting, Telangana’s Telia Rumal, Tirur Vetilla of Kerala, Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul Lock and Kandangi Saree, Odisha Rasagola, Bihar’s Shahi Litchi, among others.
Boosting Exports through GI Products
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, focuses on promoting the exports of GI products. A recent case in point is the export of Dahanu Gholvad sapota, sent from Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
Wheat Cultivation in India
In India, wheat is a Rabi crop sown between October to December and harvested during April-June. It requires specific climatic conditions such as temperatures between 10-15°C (at sowing time) and 21-26°C (during ripening and harvesting) along with bright sunlight. Wheat thrives in soil types that are well-drained fertile loamy and clayey loamy. The major wheat-growing states include Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat.
India currently stands as the second-largest producer of wheat globally, right after China. The success of the Green Revolution played a crucial role in boosting the growth of Rabi crops, especially wheat.
Government Initiatives Supporting Wheat Cultivation
The Indian government initiated several programs to support wheat cultivation – Macro Management Mode of Agriculture, National Food Security Mission, and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana being some of them.
Increase in Wheat Exports
India witnessed a gigantic leap in wheat exports in fiscal 2020-21, recording a growth of 808%. During this period, seven new countries – Yemen, Indonesia, Bhutan, Philippines, Iran, Cambodia, and Myanmar – were added to the list of wheat-importing nations from India.
Source
The information provided herein is sourced from the Press Information Bureau (PIB), India.