HYDERABAD: The famous Tandur Red Gram is now a registered GI of Telangana. The GI Application No. 706 was filed on September 24, 2020 by the Yalal Farmers Producers Company Limited, an FPO. With this, Telangana now has its 16th GI product registered. Subhajit Saha, GI Agent and Legal head of Resolute Group who filed and represented the application on behalf of the applicant is quite hopeful that India will have more than 5000+ registered GI products by 2025 and TS should lead the pack.
The GI registration process for Tandur Red Gram was facilitated by the Prof Jayashankar Telangana Agricultural University. The role of Agricultural Research Station of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University was instrumental in providing guidance, research and technical data required for the application, Subhajit Saha said.
Products like Hyderabad Lac Bangles and Warangal Chepta (Chillies) for which applications have already been filed will help further increase the numbers of TS. Saha mentioned that agricultural products like Nizamabad Turmeric, Balanagar Custard Apple and many others have to be explored and studied for GI registration. Tandur Red Gram is a local variety of pigeon pea which is mainly grown in the rain-fed tract of the Tandur. The fertile deep black soil with huge deposits of Attapulgite clay mineral specifically in Tandur region along with huge limestone deposits contribute to the specific quality traits of Tandur Red Gram which contains about 22-24% protein, which is almost three times that of cereals. Its unique taste and lasting properties contribute to its demand.
Now, individual farmers, dal mill owners of Tandur will have to register themselves as authorised users and start branding Tandur Red Gram with GI Tag to get better prices as this coveted tag is an assured symbol of quality for their product. The GI tag will help increase demand for the processed Red Gram in international markets. Currently, around 63,500 families in the region are involved in the cultivation of Tandur Red Gram.