A consignment of 12kg of GI-tagged Bardhaman Mihidana was exported to Bahrain on Tuesday, the first export since the sweet synonymous with Burdwan won the tag in 2017.
Microwave-proof containers with 400g of Mihidana each left Kolkata for the Persian Gulf on Tuesday evening.
“The containers will reach the importers by Wednesday afternoon and should be on display from Thursday,” said Sandip Saha, of Agricultural and Process Food Products Export Development Authority, under the Union ministry of commerce and industry.
“We have tried with a small consignment as a sample test and based on the feedback, the volume will be scaled up,” Saha said.
In keeping with the norms related to the export of products with geographic indication (GI) tag, the exporters have sent literature about the product and its use in Arabic language.
It is said Mihidana was served to Viceroy Lord Curzon in August 1904 when he went to meet the Maharaja of Burdwan, Vijaychand Mahatab. After tasting the sweet, Curzon apparently heaped praise on its creator, Bhairav Chandra Nag, who is also credited with creating Sitabhog, another delicacy that is synonymous with Burdwan and has won a GI tag.
Years later, Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri were said to be impressed with the two sweets.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has often been vocal about creating a global brand for Burdwan's Mihidana and Sitabhog.
“The GI-tagged Mihidana has strict specifications, including a proportionate mix of ground rice flour of two varieties — Gobindobhog and Kaminibhog — along with a variety of chickpea flour with ghee and sugar,” said Debaditya Chakrabarty of Bardhaman Mihidana Sitabhog Welfare Association.
The other variety of GI-tagged sweet from Bengal that has made it to the overseas market is Joynagar-er Moa.