- Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers Service Industrial Cooperative Society Ltd (SAGOSERVE) received GI tag for Salem sago recently.
- Salem district of Tamil Nadu is famous for Sago.
- Sago was produced first in Salem district, the main centre for sago production in India (on a cottage scale basis).
- Sago is obtained from the wet starch powder crushed from tapioca roots.
- Sago is the form of small hard globules or pearls and is pearl white in color.
GI tag
- A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign given to products coming from a specific geographical location.
- GIs certify that products are made using traditional methods or have specific qualities due to their origin.
- It is used for food, handicrafts and industrial products.
- The GI tag ensures that only authorized users can use the product name.
Who awards and regulates geographical indications
- These are a type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) recognized and protected under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
- The World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) provides a framework for the protection of GIs at the international level.
- In India, registration and protection of GIs is governed by theGeographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in September 2003.