Chennai: With the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the tasty Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai or groundnut candy, manufacturers who are truly located in Kovilpatti district of Tamil Nadu will benefit, said a top official of Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai Manufacturers and Retailers Association.
He said there many groundnut candy makers located in Chennai and other districts using the words 'Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai' to sell their products.
"The GI tag will not only help to increase our business in the domestic market but also in the overseas markets," A. Kartheeswaran, President of the Association told IANS.
The tasty Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai or groundnut candy has finally got the unique GI tag from the Geographical Indications Registry on Thursday.
Part of Thoothukudi district in Tamil Nadu, Kovilpatti groundnut candy has a unique taste and is famed for it and the application for the GI tag was made in 2014 by the Kovilpatti Kadalai Mittai manufacturers.
The groundnut candy made with jaggery syrup and topped with wisps of grated coconut dyed in pink, green and yellow.
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It is sold as single rectangular chunks or cuboids in packets.
As per the filings with the Registry, the candy is made with jaggery sourced from Theni and Salem and groundnuts sourced from the nearby town of Aruppukottai.
The nuts are shelled and roasted and mixed with jaggery syrup prepared -mixing jaggery from Theni and Salem in right proportion. Cardamom and dry ginger are also added. The mix is cut into small squares or even rolled as a tiny ball.
According to Kartheeswaran, it was in 1940s Ponnambala Nadar started making groundnut candy at Kovilpatti and slowly the business grew.
"There are about 150 groundnut candy manufacturers in Kovilpatti employing about 6,000 workers now," Kartheeswaran said.
Within India the Kovipatti groundnut candy is sold in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai and other places and is also exported to Sri Lanka, Dubai.
He said the groundnut candies from Kovilpatti are also available in big modern retail chains, hotels, restaurants apart from regular grocery shops.
Kartheeswaran said the lockdown due to coronavirus has affected the business and production was restarted only a week back.
"With limited manpower we are running the units. There is good supply of groundnuts and the farmers had also demanded the government to allow our units to run so that they can sell their produce," Kartheeswarn added.
(IANS Report)
