MOA | IAS GYAN

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About

The popular West Bengal sweet “Moa” is available only during the colder months of the year, recently its Geographical Indication tag got a 10-year extension.
Joynagar in West Bengal is famous for its ‘moa’ production, and it earned the Geographical Indication tag of Joynagar Moa in 2015.
It is a popped-rice ball held together with fresh date-palm jaggery, sugar, cashew nuts and raisins.
- It has a short shelf life, lasting hardly 5 days without refrigeration.
The high perishability of ‘moa’ kept its export low, now this problem has been resolved with the help of IIT researchers; they developed a packaging material to increase shelf life from 5 days to nearly 75 days (two and a half months).

About Geographical Indications (GI)

Geographical Indications (GIs) products include agricultural, natural, manufactured goods, foodstuffs and handicrafts.
GIs are the products that are originated or manufactured in a specific territory, region, or locality.
There are currently 432 GIs registered products in India.
To function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place. EX- Darjeeling tea.
India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, of 1999 which came into force with effect in September 2003.
In 2004, Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to get the geographical indication tag.
Geographical Indication tags in India are valid for 10 years following which they can be renewed.
The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry launched the logo and tagline for the Geographical Indications (GI) of India.

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