Tourists usually buy cashews labeled 'Goa cashews', which actually come from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala and Maharashtra. Therefore, the buyer does not get the taste of Goan cashew nuts. It is mostly imported from Benin, Ivory Coast and Indonesia.
Although the Food and Drug Administration had raided shops in the coastal region that sold cashew nuts imported from other states under the 'Goa Cashew' brand, the authorities could not stop the practice due to the absence of a strict law.
“Officials conduct raids but they are helpless as there is no strict law.Traders pay the fine but soon they start selling the same cashew under some other name,” said a cashew processor.
Speaking to IANS, Goa Cashew Manufacturers Association (GCMA) President Rohi Zante said the trend of selling imported cashew under the name 'Goa Cashew' can be stopped if the government takes strict action.
“We are optimistic that things will change once we start selling GI labeled cashew packets, giving tourists the real taste of Goa. We have no problem with shops in coastal areas selling cashews, but they should not sell imported nuts. Or poor quality nuts labeled as 'Goan cashews,'' Zante said.“We are making rules so that the GI tag is not misused. We have to ask for the license number from the GI Registry in Chennai. It will take about two to three months and later we can sell it under the GI tag,” he said.
According to him, ICAR, Goa Agriculture Department, FDA, Cashew Growers Association are part of the committee to make rules for GI tag labeling.
“There are 18 processing units registered under us, out of which only 4 have shown interest in getting the GI label.Those who process imported cash nuts have not shown any interest as they sell their product in Gujarat or other states,” Zante said.
“GI labeling will benefit us only if action is taken against those selling products illegally under the Goa brand. They will then be forced to source 'Goa cashew' from GI labeled units,' he said.
Sources said local raw cashew production is around 26,000 tonnes, although the committees that buy it from 'growers' sell it to units in other states. Thus the units in Goa are forced to import raw cashew nuts from Africa.Once processed, the units pack these nuts in 25 types of grades, ranging from Rs 700 to Rs 1400 per kg.
Deepak K Parab, nodal officer of the Patent Information Center of the Goa State Council of Science and Technology, said they have already designed the GI logo and are waiting for the rules to be finalised.
Although the Food and Drug Administration had raided shops in the coastal region that sold cashew nuts imported from other states under the 'Goa Cashew' brand, the authorities could not stop the practice due to the absence of a strict law.
“Officials conduct raids but they are helpless as there is no strict law.Traders pay the fine but soon they start selling the same cashew under some other name,” said a cashew processor.
Speaking to IANS, Goa Cashew Manufacturers Association (GCMA) President Rohi Zante said the trend of selling imported cashew under the name 'Goa Cashew' can be stopped if the government takes strict action.
“We are optimistic that things will change once we start selling GI labeled cashew packets, giving tourists the real taste of Goa. We have no problem with shops in coastal areas selling cashews, but they should not sell imported nuts. Or poor quality nuts labeled as 'Goan cashews,'' Zante said.“We are making rules so that the GI tag is not misused. We have to ask for the license number from the GI Registry in Chennai. It will take about two to three months and later we can sell it under the GI tag,” he said.
According to him, ICAR, Goa Agriculture Department, FDA, Cashew Growers Association are part of the committee to make rules for GI tag labeling.
“There are 18 processing units registered under us, out of which only 4 have shown interest in getting the GI label.Those who process imported cash nuts have not shown any interest as they sell their product in Gujarat or other states,” Zante said.
“GI labeling will benefit us only if action is taken against those selling products illegally under the Goa brand. They will then be forced to source 'Goa cashew' from GI labeled units,' he said.
Sources said local raw cashew production is around 26,000 tonnes, although the committees that buy it from 'growers' sell it to units in other states. Thus the units in Goa are forced to import raw cashew nuts from Africa.Once processed, the units pack these nuts in 25 types of grades, ranging from Rs 700 to Rs 1400 per kg.
Deepak K Parab, nodal officer of the Patent Information Center of the Goa State Council of Science and Technology, said they have already designed the GI logo and are waiting for the rules to be finalised.
