West Bengal Secures GI Tags for Nolen Gurer Sandesh

West Bengal has achieved a significant milestone in preserving and promoting its cultural heritage by securing Geographical Indication (GI) tags for seven new products, including the iconic Nolen Gurer Sandesh and Baruipur guavas. This recognition will provide global recognition to these traditional items, boosting the state’s local economy and enhancing its cultural identity. These GI tags highlight West Bengal’s rich heritage, spanning from sweets and agriculture to textiles and handicrafts. The newly tagged products include some well-known regional delicacies like Nolen Gurer Sandesh, a sweet made with date palm jaggery, and Kamarpukur’s white ‘bonde’. This step is part of West Bengal’s continuous effort to safeguard its unique traditional products and promote them globally. With the approval of these seven products, the state now has a total of 33 GI-tagged items, which include a wide array of food items, textiles, and art forms.

Detailed Overview of the GI-Tagged Products

Nolen Gurer Sandesh

• A winter delicacy made from chhena (curdled milk) and Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery).
• The Nolen Gur imparts a rich, caramel-like flavor and a warm golden hue to the sweet.
• It is an iconic Bengali sweet that holds an important place in Bengali households during winter months.
• The jaggery is central to the flavor of the sandesh, and without it, the sandesh would lose its distinctive taste.

Other Newly GI-Tagged Products

Kamarpukur’s White ‘Bonde’

• A traditional sweet from Kamarpukur.

Murshidabad’s ‘Chhanabora’

• A renowned sweetmeat made from chhena.

Bishnupur’s ‘Motichur Laddoo’

• Famous sweet from Bishnupur, well-known for its taste.

Radhunipagal Rice

• Rice variety from Radhunipagal, known for its unique flavor and quality.

Malda’s Nistari Silk Yarn

• A unique silk yarn produced in Malda, known for its smooth texture and sheen.

Impact of GI Tags

• The recognition will provide global exposure and a unique identity to these products, potentially opening up new markets both domestically and internationally.
• It will strengthen local economies and create new opportunities for artisans, farmers, and small-scale industries.
• The GI tag also helps prevent the misuse of the name of these products, ensuring that only those produced in the region can use the name.

Challenges Faced by Confectioners

• The shelf life of traditional sweets, especially those made with jaggery like Nolen Gurer Sandesh, remains a major challenge. These sweets have a short shelf life of 7-10 days, which makes exporting them difficult and expensive due to air freight costs.
• Despite advancements in packaging, longer shelf life for the sweets remains an ongoing hurdle for global scalability.

Promotion and Awareness

• The Federation of Association of Cottage and Small Industries (FACSI) is actively involved in promoting traditional products for GI recognition.
• Various institutions, such as Misti Udyog and Baruipur Farmers Producer Company, have taken the initiative to submit GI applications for regional products.
• Awareness programs have been organized by the State Science, Technology, and Biotechnology Department to inform the public and help increase recognition for more regional products.

Future Plans

• West Bengal is pushing for more GI tags for other regional delicacies such as Shaktigarh’s Langcha, Krishnanager’s Swar Puriya, Ranaghat’s Pantua, and Mograhat’s Silver Craft.
• These products, according to Mr. Guha, deserve the same recognition as the newly tagged items, as they are not merely products but an integral part of the region’s cultural identity.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	West Bengal Secures GI Tags for Nolen Gurer Sandesh
Nolen Gurer Sandesh	Winter delicacy made with chhena and Nolen Gur (date palm jaggery), iconic Bengali sweet representing culture.
Kamarpukur’s White ‘Bonde’	Traditional sweet from Kamarpukur, known for its unique taste in the region.
Murshidabad’s ‘Chhanabora’	Sweet made from chhena, famous in Murshidabad for its distinct flavor.
Bishnupur’s ‘Motichur Laddoo’	Popular sweetmeat from Bishnupur, well-known across the state for its taste.
Radhunipagal Rice	Rice variety from Radhunipagal, known for its distinct flavor and quality.
Malda’s Nistari Silk Yarn	High-quality silk yarn from Malda, known for its smooth texture and sheen.
Global Recognition and Economic Impact	GI tags provide global exposure, protection against misuse, and boost local economies, empowering farmers and artisans.
Challenges in Exporting	Short shelf life of sweets, especially Nolen Gurer Sandesh, makes exporting difficult due to air freight costs.