Srinagar, Oct 01: The Handicrafts and Handloom Department of Kashmir has urged aristans, manufacturers, and exporters to label their products with GI tags.
Director of Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah, told the Rising Kashmir all those artisans, manufacturers, and exporters who are associated with Pashmina, Kashmir Sozni, Kani Shawl,Papier-mâché, Kashmiri Crafts, Khatamband, and walnut wood carving need to fill out the registration application form, through which they can become certified users in the handicraft department.
“Presently, we have two organisations that have custodianship of the Gi Tagging. The Tahafuz have custodianship of the GI Tagging of six products and Miras have custodianship of the GI Tagging of the carpet,” Shah said
Director of Handicrafts Kashmir said that the Aristans, manufacturers, and exporters have to apply for registration with these organisations. After that, this form is also submitted to Chennai, where intellectual property rights bodies generate their registration numbers and become authorised users. “After that, we are providing GI labels for their products.”
“We have also started advertising the products. So, more Artisans can become certified users and can get the proper benefit of GI tagging, through which we can promote genuine handicraft products in the national and international markets,” Shah said.
He further said that presently they have nearly 2,500 GI-certified users in the Kashmir Valley. “Pashmina, Sozni, and Kani have high numbers of GI-certified users, and we are accepting that more GI-certified users will be added to the Papier-mâché, Khatamband, and walnut wood carving through these Artisans. Manufacturers and exporters can get the proper benefit of the GI labeling.”
“The GI labelling has good benefits in the national and international markets, which include product authenticity, which provides assurance that this product is made in Kashmir, quality assurance, which means the seal of genuine handmade products, and business development, which builds consumer confidence and encourages business,” Shah said.
