In recent years, the Tamil Nadu government, along with various associations across the State, has been diligently working to secure Geographical Indication (GI) tags for a diverse array of products, including agricultural goods, textiles, handicrafts, and food items. This concerted effort aims to preserve and promote the State’s unique cultural heritage, while enhancing its visibility and competitiveness in the global market.
As of December 31, 2024, Tamil Nadu has secured 59 GI tags, positioning itself as the second State in the country in terms of GI recognition, trailing behind only Uttar Pradesh, which leads with 74 GI tags. Tamil Nadu’s agriculture budget for 2024-2025 placed significant emphasis on obtaining GI tags for more products, recognising the crucial role these tags play in enhancing demand and expanding export opportunities. The budget stated: “In the past three years, application for GI tag has been filed for 25 agricultural products. Likewise, during 2024-2025, GI tag will be obtained for 10 agricultural products.”
Madurai Agribusiness Incubation Forum (MABIF), an initiative of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), is also playing a crucial role by raising awareness among producers about the importance of GIs and various government-led promotional initiatives. MABIF is providing comprehensive support for the GI registration process, including pre-registration activities, field visits, documentation, and filing for potential products in Tamil Nadu.
Here are some of the products that have gained GI recognition:
Ooty varkey
Applicant: Ooty Varkey Producers Welfare Association
The Ooty varkey is a traditional baked biscuit, renowned as a delicacy from the Nilgiris region. The cookie’s crisp and crunchy texture likely inspired its name, with the Urdu word varq meaning “thin layer.” It is made using a blend of wheat flour (maida), salt, sugar, vanaspati, ghee, vegetable oil, water, and mava. Mava is made of banana, rava, maida and sugar. Varkey is puffed, baked, and light brown in color, making it a light and crispy treat. Its distinct flavor comes from the water of the Nilgiris, which imparts a mild sweetness, a slight saltiness, and a flaky texture. Today, tourists who visit this hill station flock to bakeries to pick up this snack, which has enhanced its demand. Historical records show that the Britishers employed the local people and the people who migrated from Kerala in search of work as labourers in their bakeries. These labourers experimented with something new, which eventually came to be known as varkey.
Madurai malli (jasmine)
Applicant: Madurai Malli Farmers Association
The iconic Madurai malli, renowned for its fragrance and beauty, is an inseparable part of Tamil culture, often featured in weddings and celebrated in numerous Tamil songs and movies. This particular jasmine variant is cultivated in Madurai, Virudhunagar, Theni, Dindigul, and Sivagangai districts. Unlike jasmine flowers from other regions, which typically bloom by around 5 p.m., the Madurai malli blossoms later, usually after 6 p.m., and sometimes even as late as 7 p.m. This delayed blooming is attributed to the flower’s thick, robust petals. When freshly harvested from the plant, the Madurai malli exhibits a greenish-white hue. Over the course of a few hours, typically by noon, its color transitions to a soft milky white, eventually evolving into a lustrous creamy white by the evening. A Madurai malli bush can typically be maintained economically for up to 15 years after planting. The demand for this jasmine variant never fades and those investing in this have yielded good profits over the years. The price of the flower touches ₹1,800 per kg during peak seasons.
Dindigul locks
Applicant: The Dindigul Lock, Hardware and Steel Furniture Works Industrial Co-operative Society Limited
The Dindigul lock industry has been popular in the State for over 150 years and spans across five villages in the district. However, the product is facing a decline in demand due to the rise of technology and automation. These handcrafted, sturdy locks have been used in temples for centuries, underscoring their long-standing and continuous presence in the region. There are over 50 varieties of locks made by the artisans here. The primary raw materials used in the production of Dindigul locks are MS flat plates and brass plates, which are sourced from nearby towns such as Madurai, Salem, and others. Each lock in the Dindigul lock industry is crafted with a distinct style and carries its own unique name. These include variations such as mango lock, door lock, almirah lock, export lock, excise lock, and more.
Kovilpatti kadalai mittai
Applicant: Kovilpatti Regional Kadalaimittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association
The kadalai mittai or peanut candy industry in the Kovilpatti region has significantly benefited from its GI tag, leading to exports to various countries. It is now estimated to be worth over ₹2,000 crore. Apart from this, there is a huge unorganised market and their businesses would also run into several crores, say experts in this region. For decades, kadalai mittai has been crafted using a precise blend of groundnuts and organic jaggery, sourced from carefully selected regions in Tamil Nadu. The addition of water from the Thamirabarani river further enhances its natural flavour. The groundnuts used in kadalai mittai are grown in the fertile black soil surrounding Kovilpatti. These groundnuts are sourced from nearby towns, then shelled and roasted to perfection. For decades, the Kovilpatti kadalai mittai was traditionally prepared during village festivals. It is sold as single rectangular chunks, or rather cuboids, sealed in packets.
Palani panchamirtham
Applicant: Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swamy Thirukkoil
The exact date of the origin of Palani panchamirtham is unknown, but it is believed to date back to the reign of Chera king Cheraman Perumal in the 9th century AD. Palani panchamirtham is an abishega prasadam, which is served in a semi-solid state, sweet in taste. It is one of the main offerings in the abhishekam of Lord Dhandayuthapani Swamy in Palani in Dindigul district. Palani panchamirtham is a blend of five natural ingredients — banana, jaggery sugar, cow ghee, honey, and cardamom — combined in a precise proportion. To enhance the flavour, dates and diamond sugar candies are added to the five key ingredients. The whole process of producing the panchamirtham is automated.
Thanjavur doll
Applicant: Thanjavur Chamber of Commerce
The internationally renowned Tanjore (or Thanjavur) dolls (toys) are crafted using plaster of Paris, wood pulp, and clay sourced from the banks of the river Cauvery. The alluvial soil and clay from the riverbank significantly enhance the value and quality of the Thanjavur dolls. The dolls, traditionally created using the principle of gravitational force, were originally made in pairs, typically representing a raja and rani. They are typically showcased in the gold arrangement at many homes during Navratri. Replicas of these dolls are available in the market today, but the GI tag has helped artisans safeguard their craftsmanship and preserve the authenticity of their work.
Nachiarkoil kuthuvilakku (Nachiarkoil lamp)
Applicant: Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar)
The Nachiarkoil kuthuvilakku (lamp) typically consists of four components: the base (keezhbagam), stem (kandam), oil container (thanguli), and the apex or prabhai. The thanguli features V-shaped spouts to hold the wicks. These four parts are securely joined together using screw threads. The manufacture of brass and bell-metal wares has been a significant craft of the Pathers, a community of artisans in Nachiarkoil, since 1857. The size of these lamps ranges from 15 inches to 6 feet. It is also crafted in the shape of a standing woman holding a shallow bowl in her hands to contain the oil and wick. These lamps play a significant role in homes, especially in cultural and spiritual contexts. They are often used during religious ceremonies, festivals, and rituals.
Salem sago (javvarisi)
Applicant: The Salem Starch and Sago Manufactures’ Service Industrial Co-operative Society Limited
Sago is made from wet starch powder extracted by crushing tapioca roots. In India, javvarsi or sago was first produced in Salem, Tamil Nadu, around 1943-44. Sago production began as a cottage industry by pulping the tapioca roots, filtering the milk extract, allowing it to settle, forming globules, and then roasting them. The Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Cooperative Society Ltd, commonly known as SAGOSERVE, was established in 1981 to foster the growth of the sago industry. Before the formation of SAGOSERVE, starch and sago manufacturers in the district faced numerous challenges related to credit and the marketing of tapioca products.
Sholavandan vetrilai (betel leaf)
Applicant: Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board and Vetri Kodikaal Vivasayigal Sangam
Sholavandan betel leaves are renowned for their distinct taste and aroma. Their mild pungency is favoured for making paan and for the added health benefits they provide. Historical details show that farmers from the Sholavandan area formed an association in 1964 to support the welfare of betel vine cultivators. In this region, some farmers who grew other crops still reserve a small portion of their land for cultivating betel leaves, which they send to the Kallalagar temple as per tradition. It is also believed that in the past, Europeans visited the village to purchase betel leaves, as they were considered the best in the region. The betel cultivation in Madurai was mentioned in the famous Tamil literature Madurai Kanchi written in 2nd-4th century CE.
Pattamadai pai (Pattamadai mat)
Applicant: Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar)
Pattamadai mats are traditionally woven by the Labbai Muslim weaver community of Pattamadai. A small village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, Pattamadai is renowned for its unique tradition of mat weaving, using Korai grass that is grown along the banks of the Tamiraparani river. The fully grown Korai grass is harvested and soaked in water, often from the flowing Tamiraparani river, before being split into fine strands. These strands are then expertly woven into intricate mats, a craft that reflects centuries of tradition and skill. The mats are usually rectangular in shape and are produced in various colours, sizes, and designs. The mats have a weft of Korai grass and wrap of cotton or even silk threads.
Manamadurai pottery
Applicant: Manamadurai Pottery Works Cottage Industrial Co-operative Society
Manamadurai pottery is an art form that symbolises the five basic elements of nature: earth (prithvi), water (jalam), air (vaayu), fire (agni), and space (akasha). The basic material for pottery is mud, which is mixed with water. This is followed by baking over fire, adding the third element. The air percolates through the pores in the clay, marking the fourth element. And finally, the cavity enclosed by the pot or any related article represents space. A unique type of clay is sourced from water bodies like Nedunkulam, Nathapurakki, Sundaranadappu, and Seikalathur to make these pots. Pot-making requires expertise as the bottom has to be perfectly round. The circumference of the pot and the neck should be proportionate so that the pot sits flat. The right proportion of mud, clay, and heating makes this product very strong.
Kodaikanal malai poondu
Applicant: Department of Biotechnology, Mother Teresa Women’s University, and Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology
Kodaikanal hill garlic is known for its medicinal and preservative properties due to its antioxidant and antimicrobial potential, which is attributed to the presence of higher amounts of organosulfur compounds, phenols, and flavonoids compared to other garlic varieties. The unique feature of Kodaikanal malai poondu is its ability to remain fresh for eight to 11 months at room temperature without the cloves shriveling or sprouting. This is achieved through continuous smoking under a traditionally designed roof structure that ensures proper humidity and air circulation. This variety of garlic is highly sought-after by those who specialise in cooking, and it enjoys strong demand in the market.
Kanniyakumari matti banana
Applicant: Kanyakumari Banana and Horticulture Farmers Producer Company Limited
Matti banana is primarily grown in the Agatheeswaram, Thovalai, and Thiruvattar taluks of Kanyakumari district. It is a traditional table banana cultivar of medicinal value and the fruit is highly fragrant, sweet with sub acid flavor, firm texture, and powdery nature. The matti variety is an AA-type, medium-sized plant with yellowish-green leaves. It takes approximately 15 months to mature, from planting to harvest. The apex of the matti banana fruit is 2.5 to 3 cm long and resembles the mouth of a crocodile. It is also known as the ‘Crocodile finger banana’.
(Edited by: Ramya Kannan, Arvind Prasanna, and Meenakshy S.)
(Illustrations by: Saai)
Published – January 25, 2025 09:45 pm IST
