‘Chuli’ oil, ‘kaala zeera’ of Kinnaur get GI tag

Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 30

Two products of Kinnaur - chuli (wild apricot) oil and kaala zeera - have got the Geographical Indications (GI) tag from the Registrar General of GI, Chennai.

With this, the total number of products that have been registered by the patent cell of the Council for Science, Technology and Environment from Himachal under the GI registration has risen to seven.

The other products include Kullu shawl, Kangra tea, Chamba rumaal, Kinnauri shawl and Kangra miniature paintings. The decks for GI registration of chuli oil and kaala zeera had been cleared almost five months back, but the process could be completed only after public objections were invited and nobody else laid claim over the product being native of their area.

Chuli oil is extracted from the kernels of wild apricots, which grows extensively in most parts of Kinnaur district. Though wild apricot grows in Shimla and Lahaul Spiti as well, it is primarily identified with Kinnaur. Similarly, kaala zeera, which is known to have medicinal and herbal value and fetches good prices, is grown in certain parts of Kinnaur.

The Council for Science, Technology and Environment has been preparing the details, history, qualities and value of the products which are found in certain parts of Himachal. Seven products have got the GI tag and many more are lined up for being registered with the Registrar General of GI, Chennai.

The biggest advantage of having a tag on a product is that no other person or place can claim to sell the products with the same name. The tag also helps ensure authenticity of the product, fetching genuine price for weavers, growers or anyone who is producing it.

The tag has helped prevent the sale of cheap factory-made shawls in Ludhiana which are sold as Kullu or Kinnauri shawls. Also the Industries Department has been involved in the exercise so that consumers know that they should only buy a product which has a GI logo.