CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Tuesday added five more products to its growing list of Geographical Indication (GI) registrations. The newly GI recognised items are the Woraiyur cotton sari, Kavindapadi nattu sakkarai (jaggery powder), Namakkal makkal pathirangal (soapstone cookware), the traditional Thooyamalli rice variety and Ambasamudram choppu saman (wooden toys).
With these additions, Tamil Nadu’s GI portfolio has risen to 74 products, said Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) attorney P Sanjai Gandhi, who filed the applications on behalf of various agencies. The GI applications for two agricultural products Thooyamalli rice and Kavindapadi nattu sakkarai were filed by Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board as part of efforts to protect and promote native crops and value-added farm produce.
A GI tag for Thooyamalli, famed locally for its aroma and grain quality, is expected to help farmers secure premium markets and preserve traditional cultivation knowledge. The GI application for Woraiyur cotton sari, handloom product distinguished by block colours, geometric motifs and a narrow traditional border was filed by Woraiyur Devanga Handloom Weaver’s Co-operative Society.
The Woraiyur application was filed through local weaver cooperatives to protect the design and livelihood of handloom communities around Tiruchy.
“The registration, aim to ensure that only producers from the specified geographies can market the products under these names, guarding against imitation while enabling targeted branding and market access for artisans,” said Gandhi.