Jalgaon farmers ship GI certified banana to Dubai

Subject: Economy

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has announced that it had started the export of Jalgaon Banana to Dubai.

Concept:

Jalgaon is considered Banana city of India

In 2016, Jalgaon Banana got GI certification which was registered with Nisargraja Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Jalgaon.
It is located over 300 km from the west coast and on the northern edge of the Deccan plateau.
It receives an average rainfall of just 750 mm yearly and the bananas are wholly produced by independent growers.
It contributes about half of Maharashtra’s banana production and more than 16% of that of India.
Its average yields at 70 tonnes per hectare are way above global levels.
The district is located near the Bhusaval railway station enabling access to the North Indian market.
As per the report, the main advantage with tissue-cultured banana plants is that it is based on the disease-free and genetically pure material.
The spread of drip irrigation has made efficient use of scarce water possible.

Significance of Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

A GI is a name or sign used on certain products under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 that corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin.
It indicates a community’s intellectual property attached to that particular product.
It implies that the product’s uniqueness has been verified by an expert committee of the Government of India.
It helps the community get a premium price for the product.
It creates a distinct identity, assures the buyers of quality, brings reputation to the product and creates an international market for it.