Context: Arunachal Yak churpi has recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which will boost the hairy bovine species' conservation.

• Earlier Khaw Tai (Khamti rice) and Tangsa textile of Arunachal Pradesh have also obtained GI Tag.

About the Arunachal Yak churpi

• It is a naturally fermented cheese prepared from milk of Arunachali yak, reared in the high-altitude areas in Arunachal Pradesh.

• It is slightly sour and salty but rich in protein and protect against cold and hypoxia (state in which sufficient oxygen is not available).

• It is used as a substitute for vegetables by tribal yak herders in the vegetation-starved cold and hilly mountainous regions of the state.

• It is also mixed in vegetables or meat curry and is eaten with rice as a staple food in the tribal households.

• It is considered an integral part of the tangible cultural and tribal heritage of Arunachal Pradesh. 

About Arunachali yaks

• Yaks are reared in high altitude areas in the Himalayan region but the Arunachali yaks are a unique breed in respect to their body shape, size, strain and weight.

• Arunachali yaks are also the only registered yak breed in India.

• There are nearly 1,000 Arunachali yak herders, mainly belonging to the Brokpa and Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. 

• The breed is reared by tribal yak pastoralists who migrate along with their yaks to higher reaches during summers and descend to mid-altitude mountainous regions during winters.

• Yak milk is sweet and rich in protein, fat, lactose, minerals and have more solid than cow milk. 

Its milk is processed into traditional products like chhurpi (wet soft cheese), churkam (hard cheese) and Mar (butter) among others.
About other GI products:
Khaw Tai:
The Khaw Tai is a chewy sticky rice variety cultivated by traditional Khampti tribal farmers.
When it is steamed and made into a roll and wrapped in a leaf, it is called khautoum. 
A variant of this is the ball-shaped khautek, which is roasted sticky Khaw Tai blended with molasses.
Khaupuk is made with sticky rice and sesame seeds and thus forms a staple Khampti snack.
Tangsa textile:
Textile products of the Tangsa tribe of Changlang district are famous for their exotic designs and colours.