Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister congratulated the farmers of the state.
Demand for Nagri Dubraj will increase in the country as well as abroad.
Chhattisgarh’s special variety of aromatic ‘Nagri Dubraj’ rice has received the G.I. tag, which ensures the superior quality of this rice and will give new identity to this variety at the national and international level. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey have congratulated the farmers of the state, “Maa Durga Self Help Group” of the city and agricultural scientists of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University for this achievement.
The initiative of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University and Government of Chhattisgarh has proved to be helpful in attaining the G.I tag.. The Government of India’s Intellectual Property Rights Authority has given the GI tag for Nagri Dubraj to the women’s self-help group ‘Maa Durga Swayam Sahayata Group’ which is involved in the production of this variety of rice. Continuous efforts were being made for the last few years for this. Due to getting GI tag for Nagri Dubraj rice its demand will increase in the country as well as abroad and the farmers of the Nagri area of Dhamtari district will also be able to reap more economical benefits.It is noteworthy that the Geographical Indications tag is a type of intellectual property right in which the quality and importance of any product is determined by the geographical environment of that particular place. In this, the place of origin of that product is recognized and given the G.I tag.
Indira Gandhi Agricultural University and the state government has played an important role in getting the tag rights and has been in constant correspondence with the Intellectual Property Rights Authority in this regard. Officials said that under the guidance of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, the women self-help group “Maa Durga Self-Help Group” of village Bagrumnala, Nagari district Dhamtari had applied and registered for the G.I. tag.
Last year, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had promised to the farmers of Nagri that the cultivation of nagri Dubraj will reach a significant level, this has been made possible with the G.I tag awarded to this variety of rice.. Dr. Girish Chandel, Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University congratulated the farmer producer group on getting the tag, it has been said that with the efforts of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, after “Jiraphool” rice of Surguja district in the year 2019, now Dubraj rice has also been given G.I. tag.
Originated in Sihawa
Nagari Dubraj rice, popularly known as Basmati of Chhattisgarh, is the traditional, fragrant rice variety of the state, which has a lot of fame and demand outside Chhattisgarh as well. Shringi Rishi Ashram area of Sihawa is considered to be the place of origin of the Nagri Dubraj. According to religious beliefs, Shringi Rishi Ashram is related with the Putreshthi Yajna organized by King Dashrath to attain a child and the birth of Lord Rama is also associated with this. In various research papers, the place of origin of Dubraj rice has been the Sihawa city.