What Is a GI Tag? Problems and Benefits Associated With GI Tag

What is a GI tag?

A geographical indication is a label or sign applied to particular products that correspond to a particular geographic place or origin (such as a town, region, or country) (GI). The intention of a geographical indication may serve as an admission that the product has certain qualities, is produced using traditional techniques, or has a certain importance because of its place of origin.

As an illustration, Karnataka's Mysore silk is a distinctive handicraft. The first indigenous product from the state to make it onto this list is a well-known spice known as Uttarakhand tej patta that is used in this hilly region. Spices from Kerala's agricultural sector include Alleppey Green Cardamom.

Issues with GI Tag

Recently, there have been more disagreements regarding the goods in question's country of origin. The absence of convincing historical evidence makes this worse. Take, for instance, the debates about Rasgulla's, a renowned dessert from eastern India, origin. The dessert is said to have originated in West Bengal and Odisha, respectively. Each state hopes to advance its own cultural and regional jingoism over the other by "winning" a GI tag.

This sort of unhealthy competition tends to polarise the country on regional, cultural, and linguistic lines.

Most states have neglected to pay attention to enhancing the value of products already bearing a GI tag in their hurry to secure as many GI tags as they can. As a result, neither the neighborhood nor the customer financially benefited. This practice undercuts the basic premise of GI protection for native endemic items

Benefits of Geographical Indication Status

The GI registration confers-

• Legal protection for the products

• Prevents unauthorized use of GI tag products by others

• Helps consumers to get quality products of desired traits and is assured of authenticity.

• Promotes economic prosperity of producers of GI tag goods by enhancing their demand in national and international markets.

Significance of GI Tag

A geographical indicator right makes it easier for individuals who have the right to use the indication to forbid a third party from using it to market a product that doesn't meet the required standards. For instance, producers of Darjeeling tea are permitted to exclude the term "Darjeeling" from tea that was not cultivated in their tea gardens or was not manufactured following the guidelines outlined in the geographical indication's code of practice.

A protected geographical indicator holder cannot, however, prevent someone from producing a product using the same methods as those specified in the indication's specifications. A right over the sign that makes up a geographical indicator is typically required to obtain protection for it.

Way Forward

Only after a thorough historical and empirical investigation could GI tags be assigned. Either no region should be given a GI tag, or both states should be awarded ownership, for goods whose origin cannot be reliably tracked. States and the community should put more effort into actively promoting the product and the industry it belongs to rather than just focusing on regional certification.

Written by Venkata Kishore Sreemalle