Tricky Question -> Should Processed Food Companies Be Using Labels Of GI (Geographical Indications) Related Goods & Products?

 

This one would be interesting to contemplate. Let’s say you’re a beverage manufacturing company. Now issue is you’re allowed to use the Washington Apples or Alphonso Mangoes; BUT, the problem comes that, even as a primary ingredient, the composition of those mangoes or apples are sold in diluted form; diluting the significance of GI only. Why?

GI aka Geographical Indications means something produced or originated from any specific territory or land. That’s why it’s been under the category of GI for the reason, it’s assumed to be pure, authentic, metaphorically organic, derived or produced with a particular set of skills that’s been followed for hundreds or thousands of years.

Now assume, if a processing company, who is acquiring goods and products directly from the Authorized Users, mix and match with water or other active agents / ingredients with that GI organic product; then honestly, what would be significance of GI itself?

Let’s say a champagne is acquired from an authorized user or producers of GI, and it is then used in the making of a brownie, and then the brownie is sold as champagne brownie; should that be allowed? Albeit, I don’t drink or smoke, yet, this is the question I’m presenting in front of everyone!

A cola company can take, let’s say Darjeeling Tea as a primary ingredient, and as for obvious reasons, Tea cannot be added more than of certain amount in a bottle for health reasons, and further, mixed with carbonated water / water alone, sugar, and other active artificial ingredients, and then been marketed as Darjeeling Tea Cola. Should that be allowed, as now, again, and as also said in the herein supra paras, the GI has lost its both taste and value, and above all, that purity character in nature.

But then the real question comes? How the producers, authorized users would be making money, as only the processed food companies have cash flow. That’s why I used the word Tricky in the captioned subject.

Because, if now, processed food companies are allowed to use the GI products, then the organic character of the GI is lost in transformation. And if not allowed, then not all can reach to the consumer markets alone! Further, the government cannot help everyone on every occasion, and honestly why would they? So, how this dilemma can be navigated, that needs to be ascertained! 😊

© Pranav Chaturvedi