After Darjeeling Tea GI, Assam and Nilgiri follows

Kolkata ( Calcutta ) : First it was the Darjeeling brand. Now, Nilgiri and Assam teas, which are strong brands with a value proposition, will be protected internationally under the Geographical Indications (GI) Act.

With the issue of international property rights at the top of the agenda, the Tea Board has engaged lawyers and will shortly register the Nilgiri brand.

The Tea Board wants to get them registered before November, when the International Tea Convention takes place in India.

“The application for the Niligiri teas is being filed at the GI office in Chennai. About 1500 square metres of area which grows orthodox teas in the upper reaches of the Nilgiri has been considered. The Nilgiri variety of tea has the potential to establish itself as an independent brand,” Anindita Roy, director, tea promotion, Tea Board told DNA Money.

Owing to their non-homogenous character, teas grown in Assam, the largest tea growing area, are getting delineated for establishing a generic brand profile to qualify for a GI mark.

“A common GI identification may not be possible in case of the teas grown in Assam where there are a lot of complexities like seasonal variations which reflects on the tastes. While teas grown in the Brahmaputra Valley are sure to be included the other regions may have to be delineated,” Roy said.

Assam teas have a specific identity especially for the famous ‘second flush’ and renowned for their malty intrinsic character internationally.

Each of these teas has specific characters unique to the geographical areas where they are grown and cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world under these names. Moreover, the reputation stems from the place of origin.

Agricultural products typically have qualities that derive from their place of production and are influenced by specific local factors, such as climate and soil.

The new GI Act regulation will encompass total protection against any kind of misuse of the Assam or Nilgiri name and anyone who does so will be liable for charges of criminal offence against infringement of any kind.

As the quality and purity of these teas largely vary across the state, the Tea Board is likely to come up with some form of regional protection formats like logos for the regions, which may not be covered under the GI.

According to planters, once the area gets delineated, duplication becomes very difficult. This in a way also helps create a complete awareness campaign around these teas.

Source: DNA