Telangana's prized 'Balanagar Custard Apple' seeks GI tag

Hyderabad: Rooted in Telangana, Balanagar Custard Apple has sought GI Tag as state’s 19th Geographical Indication. The Balanagar Custard Apple is prized for its thick rind, high pulp content, minimal seeds, naturally sweet flavor, and long shelf life qualities that distinguish it from other varieties and make it highly suitable for both fresh consumption and industrial processing.

Its uniqueness is attributed to the region’s diverse agro-climatic conditions, including wild forest growth, domestic cultivation, and border plantations all of which contribute to the fruit’s distinctive quality and resilience. This filing places the Balanagar variety as the fourth Custard Apple alongside other custard apples in India that have sought or obtained GI protection, including Beed Custard Apple (Maharashtra), Seoni Sitaphal (Madhya Pradesh), and Kanker Custard Apple (Chhattisgarh), further highlighting India’s rich regional biodiversity.

Once granted, the GI tag is expected to provide legal protection, strengthen brand identity, and open premium domestic and international market access for the Balanagar Custard Apple. It will also lay the foundation for authorised user registration, structured packaging, and origin-based marketing strategies, empowering local farmers and supporting sustainable rural development. The application is currently under review by the Geographical Indications Registry of India.

The application was filed by GI Practitioner Subhajit Saha on behalf of three key farmer-based organizations: Pomal Farmer Producer Company Limited, Balanagar Farmer Producer Company Limited, and The Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society, with funding support from NABARD. Importantly, the application was technically facilitated by Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University represented by Dr Saidaiah Pidigam, who played a pivotal role in compiling scientific documentation and validating the fruit’s unique agro-morphological characteristics.

“This GI initiative, supported by NABARD and led by farmer collectives, underscores how formal recognition can create value at the grassroots level while reinforcing Telangana’s position as a hub for high-quality, origin-linked produce. The involvement of Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University (SKLTGHU ) was vital in presenting the scientific evidence required to support this claim,” said Saha, who filed the GGI application.

He also mentioned that Telangana is gearing up to file an additional of 6 to 8 GI applications from Handicrafts and Horticulture Products in the coming days signaling a strategic push toward formal recognition and commercialization of the state’s distinctive agro-based products with the coveted GI Tag.

Dr Pidigam Saidaiah, Principal investigator of the project worked on grass root level and investigated and gathered the requisite information from the Balanagar Custard Apple growing areas, interacted with the farmers and cultivator for filing Balanagar Custard Apple.

SKLTGHU vice chancellor, Dr Danda Raji Reddy, said that the University is working to protect the heritage horticultural crops of Telangana, where 6 more crops are in row, which will be filed after field investigations and farmer interactions.