Nilambur teak will soon get legal protection.

 

Nilambur teak will soon get legal protection for its uniqueness with the tree preparing to enter the Geographical Indication (GI) Registry. Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and the Nilambur municipality have joined hands to place Nilambur teak in the registry.

The GI registration will ensure that agricultural, natural or manufactured goods originating in a region with a given quality or reputation will have its uniqueness supported by law. As the quality of Nilambur teak is specific to the soil of Nilambur, the GI of the tree will give it a unique place. The GI registration will give growers and users of Nilambur teak the legal right to exclusive use. Nilambur teak will become the first forest resource to get a GI tag in the country. Darjeeling tea was the first product to get a GI tag in the country.

In Kerala, products such as Aranmula Kannadi, Navara rice, Alappuzha coir, Palakkadan Matta rice, Malabar pepper, Maddalam of Palakkad, Pokkali rice, Vazhakkulam pineapple, Balaramapuram saris, Kasaragod saris, Kathumpulli saris, Wayanad Jeerakasala rice, Wayanad Gandhakasala rice, Payyannur Pavithra ring, and Central Travancore jaggery have GI registration.

‘‘The GI registration will certainly take the Nilambur teak to a higher place it deserves,’’ said Aryadan Shoukath, municipal chairman, Nilambur.

A workshop held at Nilambur on Saturday under the joint aegis of the KAU; Nilambur Municipality; Forest Department; Kerala Forest Research Institute; GI Registry, Chennai; and College of Forestry, Thrissur; formed a 15-member committee to work for achieving the registration. Presiding over the function, Mr. Shoukath called upon the people to grab the opportunity to get a unique status for their product.