Kovilpatti’s kadalai mittai gets GI tag after 5-yr delay

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:1.5.2020

After a five-year wait, Kovilpatti kadalai mittai (chikki or a jaggery with peanuts) has finally got Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Now, members of the Kovilpatti Regional Kadalai Mittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association, based out of Kovilpatti and some towns and villages in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, will have an exclusive right over the tag.

GI tags are granted for produce or products originating from and having unique qualities corresponding to a geographical area. The tag gives exclusive right to its holders over the uniqueness of the product. This also ensures that none other than the right holders to claim or use the product name attributing to its geographical origin. The GI tag has been granted to the groundnut sweet by the Geographical Indications Registry recognising the uniqueness of the ingredients used for its manufacture procured from the geographical area of Kovilpatti. The ingredients include groundnuts grown in the native black soil of Kovilpatti, organic jaggery and water sourced from the Thamirabarani river, said IPR attorney and the associations counsel P Sanjai Gandhi.

The other recognised uniqueness includes the production process which is done using ‘veragu aduppu’ (firewood stove), he added.

Though the application seeking GI tag for the sweet was made by the Kovilpatti Regional Kadalaimittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association on July 3, 2014 the same was published in the official GI journal only on November 29, 2019 inviting objections if any.

“Once the publication is made in the official journal, objections must be made within a maximum of four months from the date of publication. Since no objection has been received by the GI registry till the expiry of the said period, GI tag has been granted for Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai,” IP attorney K Muthu Selvam said