KENDRAPARA: Kendrapara’s famous sweet Rasabali received the geographical indication (GI) tag on Tuesday, bringing cheer to the people of the coastal district. Kendrapara Rasabali Makers’ Association and the Rural Infrastructure Development and Employment applied for GI tag for the sweet in 2021. The mouth-watering delicacy originates from the 262-year-old Baladevjew temple at Ichhapur on the outskirts of Kendrapara town. It consists of deep-fried flattened reddish-brown patties of cheese that are soaked in thickened and sweetened milk.
President of the association Baishava Panda said many people in the district earn their livelihood by selling Rasabali. “We are delighted with the recognition as the GI tag will lend a distinct identity to the product and nobody can misuse the name to market similar sweets.”
Rasabali is one of the most delicious sweets in the country. But due to poor promotion and export facilities, it is not being marketed properly. The GI registration will help boost export of Rasabali and also put Kendrapara on the global map. “In 2021, a team had prepared a dossier in support of our claim for GI tag for the sweet. We submitted the dossier to the state government which in turn sent it to the office of Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai,” informed Panda.
Similarly, the executive officer of Baladevjew temple Balabhadra Patri said Rasabali is one of the main Bhogs in the shrine which was constructed during the Maratha rule in Odisha in 1761. The GI tag for the sweet would differentiate it from competing products in national and international markets.
Expressing happiness over the GI tag, Rasabali maker of Kendrapara Souri Sahoo said the unique sweet will now acquire more prominence in the market. Besides, the tag would help the makers get best remunerative price. “The GI certification would also stop adulteration of Rasabali and thereby, the authenticated sweet will fetch better prices,” he added.