Context: Onattukara Vikasana Agency, registered owner of the GI-tagged sesame seeds, plan to increase the area under sesame cultivation to 2,000 hectares from current 600 hectares.

About Onattukara Sesame 

• Onattukara Ellu and its oil are famous for its unique health benefits.

• Relatively higher antioxidant content in Onattukara Ellu helps in fighting the free radicals, which destroy the body cells.

• Also, the high content of unsaturated fat makes it beneficial for heart patients.

Key Measures 

• Financial Assistance: Farmers will receive Rs 40 for a cent of land to support sesame cultivation, enhancing their income.

• Collaborative Initiative: The project is a joint effort involving local institutions like KrishiBhavan, Onattukara Vikasana Agency (OVA), and others.

• Seed Distribution: Sesame seeds will be distributed through Thekkekara Krishi Bhavan to facilitate cultivation.

• Market Procurement: OVA will procure the sesame produced under the scheme at market prices, ensuring fair compensation for farmers.

• Targeted Groups: Various groups, including individuals, collectives, Kudumbashree groups, and others, are eligible for incentives to promote sesame cultivation.

• Resource Utilization: Farmers can utilize resources like the workforce of Thekkekara Karshika Karma Sena and a tractor for field preparation.

• Increased Cultivation Area: The initiative aims to expand sesame cultivation from 600 to 2,000 hectares in the region.

• Variety Cultivation: Farmers in the region cultivate various sesame varieties, including Ayali, Kayamkulam-1, Thilak, Thilathara, and Thilarani, developed by the Onattukara Regional Agricultural Research Station (ORARS).

About GI tags 

Background

• A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is given to an entrepreneur or a group of businessmen of a particular area/ state/ country to manufacturer goods of exemplary quality.

• These tags are issued according to the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

Key Points

• GI tags are issued for products like agricultural goods, wine and spirit drinks, foodstuff, handicrafts, and industrial products.

• Top 5 states in India which holds maximum number of GI tags includes Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

• Tamil Nadu and Karnataka holds maximum number of GI tags followed by Kerala with 35 GI tag, Uttar Pradesh with 34 GI tag and Maharashtra with 31 GI tag.

Significance

• It provides legal security for the manufacturer of unique goods originating from a particular place in the Country.

• The GI tag also helps customers to get the finest quality products of their desired quality.

• The GI tag is an assurance of authenticity. If manufacturers have a GI Tag then it is an indication that the product they are manufacturing is genuine.

• It also enhances and promotes goodwill of manufacturers of GI tag goods by boosting the product demand in the national and international markets.