Joynagar moa

Context: For the first time in its history, Joynagar moa being exported

Joynagar moa

• The highly popular Bengali sweet, available only during winter months, is highly perishable
• The moa is a popped-rice ball held together with fresh date-palm jiggery.
• Since its manufacture is mostly confined to the town of Joynagar (near Kolkata), it has earned the Geographical Indication tag of Joynagar Moa.
• Since the sweet is highly perishable — it can hold its taste and texture for only 5-7 days under normal refrigeration — its commercial export was never seriously contemplated.
• APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), facilitated this export, said moa is now among the very few agricultural GI-tagged items, such as basmati rice, Darjeeling tea and Alphonso mango, to be exported.

From 1904

• The history of moa can be traced back to 1904 and it has always been synonymous with Joynagar even though many other adjoining settlements also specialise in it.
• The sweetmeat is made of aromatic khoi — popped rice — mixed with jaggery, sugar, cashew nuts and raisins.
• Today moa-making is an organised business, run by the Joynagar Moa Nirmankari Society.
• The society earned the GI tag from the Commerce Ministry in March 2015.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/for-the-first-time-in-its-history-joynagar-moa-being-exported/article33625025.ece?homepage=true