Panaji, Jan 2 : Goa has strengthened its Geographical Indication (GI) portfolio with the addition of five traditional agricultural products taking the state’s total number of GI-tagged items to 15, officials said.
The newly recognised products are Taleigao Vayingim (Taleigao Brinjal), Goa Hilario Mango, Goa Mussarad (Mussarat/Monserrate) Mango, Goa Khorgut (Korgut) Rice, and Goa Cashew Apple. All five GI tags awarded this year pertain to agricultural produce, underlining Goa’s focus on preserving its farming heritage.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the GI recognitions would play a crucial role in protecting indigenous crops and strengthening the rural economy. “These GI tags celebrate our State’s agricultural traditions and empower our farmers. They will help preserve indigenous varieties, enhance market recognition, generate sustainable livelihoods across rural Goa, and promote economic development and agri-entrepreneurship,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that by safeguarding Goa’s unique produce, the state was showcasing its identity to the world. The move also aligns with the Swayampurna Goa (Goem) Mission, aimed at achieving self-reliance and rural prosperity.
Among the newly tagged products, Taleigao Brinjal, cultivated for generations in Taleigao village, is known for its firm texture, mild sweetness and longer shelf life, with a yield of 1.5 to 2 kg per plant. Goa Cashew Apple, a key ingredient in traditional feni production, is prized for its distinctive flavour and fermentation qualities.
The Hilario and Mussarad mango varieties, earlier confined largely to select farming communities, are gaining wider attention for their aromatic qualities and rich taste. Meanwhile, Khorgut Rice, an heirloom paddy grown in low-lying khazan lands, is valued for its salt tolerance, reflecting the adaptive farming practices of Goa.
Officials said the five products have cleared the initial scrutiny process and are currently in the mandatory 120-day waiting period following their advertisement by GI authorities. The state government plans to actively promote these products to enhance market visibility, encourage value addition and improve farmer incomes.
Former Science and Technology Department director Levinson Martins said Goa had initiated the GI process for 25 items five years ago and had already secured recognition for many of them. He expressed hope that the remaining items would also receive GI status in due course, stressing the need to popularise GI-tagged products among tourists to ensure better returns for farmers and producers.
Earlier, Goa had secured GI tags for products such as bebinca, cashew feni, khola chilli, Mancurad mango, Agasaim brinjal, Harmal chilli, myndoli banana, cashew kernel, and seven-ridge okra, further cementing its position on India’s GI map.
