Study team visits Nizamabad district for GI of Armur turmeric

Hyderabad: A team of scientists conducted a field study on the geographical indication of Armur turmeric, which is locally grown in the Armur area of Nizamabad district, which has many unique features.

With the courtesy of NABARD, a team of scientists led by Dr Pidigam Saidaiah, Principal Investigator of the armoor turmeric project from the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University along with scientists B Mahender, P Srinivas from Kammarapalli Turmeric Research Station and Nizamabad NABARD DDM Praveen Kumar, met to study the geographical indication of Armur turmeric.

The information required for applying for geographical identification Armur, climatic conditions, soil characteristics, unique characteristics of this variety, history of cultivation of Armur turmeric, documentary evidence, etc. were discussed and collected in progress in detail.

The turmeric varieties cultivated in the turmeric growing areas of Armuru were visited and the uniqueness of the varieties being cultivated was observed. If turmeric gets geographical identification, exports will increase, marketing opportunities for this variety across the country will increase and premium and higher prices will also be available, said Dr Pidigam Saidaiah, the principal investigator of the project.

An application will have to be submitted to the Intellectual Property Rights Centre, headquartered in Chennai, for geographical identification. The team said that the application will be submitted in three to four months. Soon, DNA profiling of this variety, description of its characteristics, and their samples will be examined and studied in the laboratory, Pidigam Saidaiah said.