Rajouri Chikri Wood Craft, Anantnag’s Mushqbudji Rice receive GI tag

The Rajouri Chikri Wood Craft from Rajouri district and Mushqbudji Rice of Anantnag district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag recently. The GI tag in India is granted by the Geographical Indication Registry under the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development(NABARD) took the initiative to identify unique products from the Union Territory of  Ladakh and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in December 2020. It sanctioned a project for GI tag registration of products from both the Union Territories.

Product identified for GI tag under NABARD project 

Under the project NABARD included 9 products ,8 from Jammu and Kashmir and one from Ladakh for GI tag registration . 

The products which were included by NABARD to obtain GI tags were 

• Basohli paintings (Kathua), 

• Basohli pashmina woollen products (Kathua), 

• Chikri wood craft (Rajouri), 

• Bhaderwah rajma (Doda), 

• Mushkbudji rice (Anantnag), 

• Kaladi (Udhampur),

• Sulai honey (Ramban), 

• Anardana (Ramban) and 

• Ladakh wood carving (Ladakh). 

Out of 9 products, two products Basohli Painting of Kathua and Ladakh Wood Carving of Ladakh were granted GI tag by the Geographical Indications Registry ,Chennai in March 2023. Now two more products have been added to the list.

Chikri wood Craft and Mushqbudji rice 

• Chikri is a pale, honey coloured , fine grained soft wood found in hill ranges of Rajouri district of Jammu province. The Chikri woodcraft of Rajouri is characterised by intricate carving and detailing.

• Mushqbudji Rice is a premium variety of short bold aromatic rice grown in higher reaches of the Kashmir valley especially in Anantnag district.

What is a GI tag ?

• A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.
• Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.
• Any association of persons, producers, organisation or authority established by or under the law can apply for GI tag. The applicant must represent the interest of the producers.
• The famous goods which carry GI tag include Basmati rice, Darjeeling Tea, Chanderi Fabric, Mysore Silk, Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Thanjavur Paintings, Allahabad Surkha, Farrukhabad Prints, Lucknow Zardozi and Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving.

Some of the products of J&K which has been given GI tag are :

• Kani Shawl

• Kashmir Pashmina

• Kashmir Paper Mache

• Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving 

• Khatamband

• Kashmiri Hand Knotted Carpet

• Saffron (Mongra, Lachha, Guchhi)