Anantnag: The Mushqbudji variety of rice has been bestowed with Geographical Indication (GI) tags. It is counted now in 9 J&K GI Tag and It will hit National and International markets and will provide a better livelihood for farmers of the Sagam Kokernag area.
Mushqbudji Rice is cultivated in the Sagam Kokernag area of south Kashmir Anantnag district, The farmers of the area have cultivated the Mushqbudji for the last two decades, but due to the down rates in the market, most farmers left to cultivate quality Mushqbudji rice.
A local grower said that he felt enormously happy after we got to heard that the quality Mushqbudji rice in our area is bestowed with a GI Tag and market rate will hike and also said we expect high rates in the market this year and after that, we reproduce and will expend the crop of Mushqbudji. While talking to some more growers said we were delighted and thankful to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and concerned departments who helped us and set our crop in GI Tag.
In an interview with Chief Agriculture Officer Anantnag(CAO) Mr. Aijaz Hussain Dar Said, adding the crop Mushqbudji to the GI tag is the output of the department’s struggle and we have reviewed the crop in the area and extension of land from 5 Hecters to 300 hectares. Now the rates will hike for the Mushqbudji Before it was 5000 now it will be more than 20,000 and new rice mills will installed in the same area for proper finishing of rice and get verified packing of temper-proof for the international market. And also said that we are working to get more GI Tags for our localized crops like Red rice, Beetroot, and Red Radish and we are working for betterment of farmers so they can earn good livelihoods from their farming.
Agriculture Extension officer (AEO) Sagam Syed, Tariq Ahmad said that the zone Sagam is famous for Mushqbudji rice cultivation and we congratulate farmers that our Mushqbudji rice has been added to GI Tag and also informed the farmers about the benefits of GI Tagging the market rate will hike and also said we will extend the crop in this area, the AEO, and farmers specially thanked the Director of Agriculture, CAO Anantnag, and concerned Universities who exhibited immense efforts to add this crop in GI Tag.
Geographical Indication(GI) is a form of Intellectual Property right that identifies goods originating from a specific geographical location and having distinct nature, quality, and characteristics linked to that location. The GI tag’s primary feature is its uniqueness, which guards against any form of third-party misuse. The geographical indication supplied to the good confers the exclusive right on the authorized user. Geographical designation properly acknowledges the value of the commodity. It stops any form of exploitation or deceptive representation. The benefits for farmers of the GI Tag the demand will increase in the National and International markets and will help in the economic empowerment of rural areas, Local products can be exported if they get this tag. Thus increasing the export of products. When a local product is given a G.I. tag it gets preserved and its value rises and becomes valuable. With GI Tag specialty, the production of fake goods of GI tagged goods can be stopped.