K'taka to have exclusive policy for GI products

Visvesvaraya Trade Promotion Centre (VTPC) Managing Director Satheesha S R said VTPC is working on a strategy document for the promotion of Geographical Identification (GI) products in Karnataka.

Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of an interactive meeting with exporters organised by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) here on Friday, he said with this, Karnataka will have an exclusive policy for GI products, the first-of-its-kind in the country.

He said Karnataka has 45 products with GI tag. The state is ranked Number One when it comes of GI products, followed by Maharashtra with 35 products to its credit, he said.

Satheesha said VTPC is thinking about organising a GI product exhibition and set up an exclusive showroom of GI products in airports for the promotion and marketing of the state’s GI products.

He said, “Once the GI Products strategy documents are prepared, then we will focus on training the artisans engaged in manufacturing GI tagged products by upgrading their skills. We will also focus on meeting the artisans, producers of GI products, understand the issues bothering them and look into interventions to improve the marketing
facilities.”

He said Udupi has three GI products — Mattugulla, Shankarapura Mallige and Udupi Handloom Saree. VTPC will work towards making the GI products compete in international markets, he
added.

Satheesha said though Karnataka is in the top slot with 45 GI products to its credit, a majority of them do not have authorised user registration, for exclusive right to grow and market the products.

“Efforts will be made to get authorised user registration from GI Chennai Registry for the products,” he
said.

Satheesha said VTPC is pushing for GI tag for ‘Patteda Anchu Saree’ from Guledagudda with GI Registry in Chennai, after collecting a research document of a researcher on the historical reference to the saree.