NELLORE: Patur weavers will get a major boost as efforts are underway to secure a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the traditional Patur sarees of Nellore district, aimed at protecting the unique identity of the handloom craft and improving the livelihoods of local artisans.
Almost every household in Patur is directly or indirectly associated with handloom weaving or textile trade. While most sarees are made of silk, cotton sarees with minimal designs are also popular.
Historically, Patur sarees enjoyed popularity on par with renowned weaving centres such as Gadwal, Pochampally and Venkatagiri in AP, and Kanchipuram and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
“Our sarees have a legacy and unique weaving identity. Without a GI tag, our work is not recognised in the market. We need the GI tag to protect our tradition and ensure fair value for future generations,” said P Ramanaiah, a weaver.
Officials said field visits aim to document traditional weaving practices and the socio-economic importance of Patur sarees, secure intellectual property rights and obtain a GI tag. Authorities organised the visits with support from the Handlooms and Textiles Department, Nellore officials and weavers from Patur, Gummaladibba and Narayanareddypeta to boost livelihoods.
“As part of the GI registration process, extensive field-level visits and data collection were conducted on February 12, 2026, in Patur and Gummaladibba villages of Kovur mandal and Narayanareddypeta in Nellore rural mandal. The visits were carried out under the supervision of Santhi Sagar Rao, Consultant, Resolute IP Services LLP, Hyderabad,” said Textiles Department Officer K Balasubramanyam.