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• 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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