GI-tagged agricultural products face challenges due to climate change

GI tag granted to 4 agri products in S. Tamil Nadu to safeguard uniqueness & increase production; farmers fear decline due to climate change; GI tag gives confidence to market produce; unseasonal rain reduces quality; agrochemical usage & soil handling must change to make crops climate resilient.

Four of the agricultural products in the southern part of Tamil Nadu were recently given the Geographical Indication (GI) recognising their uniqueness. This identification of the products in the global market through GI tag has made it essential to safeguard and increase the uniqueness and its production respectively from the climatic challenges.  

The Cumbum paneer grapes, Authoor betel leaves, Sholavandhan betel leaves and Kanniyakumari matti banana, which were granted GI this year, gained prominence for their uniqueness and quality.

At the same time, the farmers fear a possible decline in production due to various factors linked to climate change. 

“The recognition is promising as it would increase our demand and importance in the global market but at the same time, unpredictable climatic conditions are proving to be a challenge to our produce,” said, a banana farmer S.B. Perumal of Kanniyakumari.  

He said that because of the identification for the matti bananas, many farmers who were reluctant earlier to grow on a large scale have gained confidence that they could market their produce owing to their recognition across the country.  

“The challenges faced in production have drastically changed compared to the past. Earlier, we feared only if it rained or did not, but now we fear off-season rains because when the plant is in the growing stage, it will uproot the whole plant,” he added.  

A grape farmer R.P.P. Nanthakumar of Cumbum echoed the same feeling that the grape varieties were very sensitive to water and if the soil tends to hold back water, it would rot the plant.