Bengal’s Gobindobhog rice gets Geographical Indication tag

Gobindobhog rice from Bardhaman district of Bengal has got Geographical Indication status. The state government had applied for the GI status for this variety on August 24, 2015.

The south Damodar belt has been the traditional area of Gobindobhog rice cultivation. The rice has several advantages. It is cultivated late and therefore not much affected by rains. It is less prone to pests as well. The productivity per area is high and farmers get better prices for Gobindobhog rice. Last year this was cultivated in an area of 35 hectares.

 
The region of Burdwan (now divided into the districts of east and west Burdwan) is known as the rice bowl of Bengal. As a result of getting the GI tag, as the certification is also called, rice from other regions or rice of other varieties cannot be branded as ‘Gobindobhog’. This would strengthen the marketability of the rice in domestic as well as international markets.