GI status to be sought for 'Kozhikode Halwa'

Kochi, Nov 19: After 'basmati rice' and 'Darjeeling tea', it is the turn of the famous 'Kozhikode Halwa' from Kerala to seek protection under the Geographical Indications(GI) status, which grants legal recognition to a particular region's claim to a locally produced product.

The Kerala Government is seriously considering moving an application with the GI Registry, Chennai, to grant the GI status to the 'Kozhikode Halwa', a speciality sweet-meat made in the northern district of Kozhikode, senior district officials told UNI here.

''The proposal is under the serious consideration of the Government and the application regarding this will be moved after a month-long 'Malabar Shopping Festival' concludes on January 20,'' they said.

In fact, one of the main events of the month-long fiesta, to be held in Kozhikode, is a 'halwa festival'.

''We want to create a buzz around the Kozhikode halwa and then move the application for GI status after the festival concludes,'' Kozhikode District Collector A Jayathilak said.

A known delicacy of Kozhikode, the black or brown coloured 'halwa', made of flour, ghee, molasses and nuts, is one of the hot selling items on the city's famous 'Sweet-meat Street' (SM Street).

Stating that Kozhikode had been associated with the 'halwa' for more than 200 years, Dr Jayathilak said that there were families which had been involved in its making for generations. He said ''there might be so-called halwas being produced all over the place now. But, the sweet-meat is traditionally a delicacy from Kozhikode and we would like the world to recognise this.'' Getting the GI status would be a big step-up for the 'humble halwa', putting it in the big league of international branding.

Besides ensuring quality control and promoting its export potential, acquisition of the GI status for the 'Kozhikode Halwa' could also work wonders for putting Kozhikode on the tourism map of Kerala, he added.

In fact, with almost every second shop on the SM Street stocking the delicacy and hundreds of units engaged in its manufacture, the District Industries Centre has also taken up the 'halwa units' for development under the ''industrial cluster'' approach of the State Government.

According to available information, the Kerala Government had sanctioned Rs 16 lakh some time ago to develop a food cluster in Kozhikode district. The Olavanna area in the district had been identified for the 'halwa cluster', where the units could share the raw material and marketing channels besides setting up common effluent treatment plants.

In fact, a common brand name under which the 'Kozhikode Halwa' could be exported was also being explored, officials said.

A Consortium had already been registered under the name of ''Kozhikode Halwa Consortium Pvt. Ltd.' by 38 local 'halwa' manufacturers. The main purpose of the consortium was to standardise the product and upgrade the manufacturing technology. ''An MoU for technical assistance has been signed by the State Government with the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, for ensuring product standardisation and quality control,'' the officials added.

As a WTO member country and signatory to TRIPS, India had passed the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act in 1999.

Under the Act, goods such as agri-foods, natural products, food, industrial designs and handicrafts, were generally linked to a specific region and were considered to be the common inheritance of the people of the area, who have developed it down the ages. The law protects these traditional practitioners or producers against misappropriation and unfair competition.

While the Act does not provide for individual ownership, any association of producers or any organisation or authority representing the interest of the producers can apply for registration in accordance with the provision of the Act.

UNI