Bengal’s experience with Banglar Rasogolla has shown that a geographical indication (GI) tag doesn’t mean better business.
On April 4, Bengal bagged the GI tag for four different types of sweets — Murshidabad Chhanabora, Kamarpukur Sada Bode, Bishnupurer Motichur Laddu and Banglar Nolengur Sandesh.
Some of the state’s prominent sweet shop owners said the tags would help document the histories of particular sweet varieties and preserve the original recipes. But without meaningful marketing, they wouldn’t contribute much to the industry.
Many sweet makers and their markets are unaware of what the tag means. Several sweet producers are not keen to adhere to the strict “original recipe” because their products sell even otherwise.
“Bagging GI tags has not immensely helped the sweetmeat industry because a section of mishti producers are still not willing to abide by the norms for manufacturing GI-tagged sweets,” said Dhiman Das, president of Mishti Udyog, an umbrella organisation of entrepreneurs of sweets and savouries in Bengal and owner of KC Das Private Limited.
“Those who go to buy gold ornaments look for the hallmark. Do sweet buyers do the same for GI-taggedmishti? Never,” he said.
The association filed applications for GI tags for the four types of traditional sweets in December 2022.
In 2017, Bengal’s rasogolla, the spongy ball of chhana dipped in sugar syrup, bagged the GI tag. Many then thought it would automatically bring it on a par with Darjeeling tea or champagne.
Seven years on, about 100-odd sellers have taken the authorised dealership for selling that particular variety of rasogolla.
Senior officials in the state’s department of science and technology, who have been tracking the number of certified users of Banglar Rasogolla since the GI status was conferred in November 2017, said the majority of sweet shop owners were not eager to acquire the “certified user” tag because they believed it would not affect their sales.
“Out of over a lakh-plus rasogolla sellers, just about 100 have bagged the authorised dealership certificate for GI-tagged rasogolla. We are urging others to apply. But the response hasn’t been impressive,” said Mahuya Hom Chowdhury, senior scientist with the state’s department of science and technology.
“Only those into export can claim they send original GI-tagged products like rasogolla or mowa to buyers abroad. There isn’t adequate branding for these products to create a demand. Unless there is a demand for GI-tagged mishti, the industry won’t stand to gain,” said Sudip Mullick of Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick, the 137-year-old sweet shop. “We were the first to introduce baked rasagolla, and everyone followed. We didn’t want a tag for it.”
In 2015, Bengal bagged the GI tag for Joynagar Mowa. Only 321 mowa manufacturers have bagged the authorised dealership certificate out of about 2,000 manufacturers in and around that pocket in South 24-Parganas.
“The challenge lies in adhering to the recipe for manufacturing a GI-tagged mowa. It has helped us export the product to Saudi Arabia, Sweden and even the US. But not everyone is interested,” said Ranjit Ghosh of Shaymsunder Mistanna Bhandar in Baharu, Joynagar.
A section of traders believes GI tags for mishtis may not bring immediate returns. But they hold promise. “This documentation of different types of Bengal’s mishti is crucial for the future. A tag is like an Aadhaar card for a particular type of sweet,” said Amitava Dey of Felu Modak, the sweet shop in Hooghly’s Rishra that is over 175 years old.