Darjeeling Mandarin Orange gets Geographical Indication tag

The 'Darjeeling Mandarin Orange' has officially been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, an official said on Monday.

The status was formalised by the GI Registry on November 24, 2025, with Darjeeling Organic Farmers Producer Organisation (DOFPO) being the registered proprietor, while 'Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya' (UBKV) and PIC acted as facilitators for the application process, a UBKV official said on Monday.

"The GI tag is expected to help revive the cultivation of Darjeeling Mandarin orange, which has been in decline due to virus and pest attacks over the past 15 years," the official said.

The fruit has been an integral part of local heritage and has helped the economy for generations.

This makes it the second product from our region, after Dalley Khorsani, to earn this coveted recognition, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said. "The GI tag celebrates the unique qualities of our 'suntala' (as known in the hills) grown only in the cool, misty hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Its sweetness, aroma, and distinct flavour come from the special climate and soil that make our mandarins unlike any other," he said.

The Darjeeling MP also expressed hope that through unified efforts like this, other products from the Hills like cardamom, ginger, iskus, plum, rayo-ko-saag, garendal (passion fruit), masem ko daal, bhadrase, pineapple, kaulo will be brought under the GI status.