![]() According to Section 2(f) of GI Act, 1999 “goods” means any agricultural, natural, or manufactured goods or any goods of handicraft or of industry and includes foodstuff And Section. It is given only for goods and not for services. GI primarily gives for agricultural, natural, or manufactured goods. Similarly, patents are granted for inventions having industrial utility. There are different types of Intellectual properties available for various goods and services such as Trademark is for protection of brand name, Copyrights is for protection of literary, musical, or artistic work. Alphonso and protection of intellectual property lawĪs we know the basic aim of Intellectual Property protection is to give the exclusive right to the property owner and protection against the unauthorized usage of the same. But the geography and the coastal yet volcanic soil of Ratnagiri and Devgad give Hapus its uniqueness. ![]() There have been many attempts to grow Alphonso mangoes all across the country. The taste and texture of Hapus depend on the soil and climate where it grows. The topography of the region makes it suitable for Hapus production. The Konkan coast has volcanic red soil and a hot climate with adequate humidity. The specialty of this most excellent variety of mango contains thin skin, vibrant saffron-yellow color, special aroma, thick pulp, and heavenly taste, which makes it different and unique from others. It requires a peculiar atmosphere, specific climate condition, specific quality of soil, land texture especially hard laterite rocks (Jambha dagad), the proper slope of the land, and a distinct technique of plant grafting to make this king of the fruit. The connection between Alphonso mango and Konkan Its unique taste and texture make it the most sought-after amongst other varieties of mango in the world. This most expensive and seasonal fruit arrives in the market normally between March to June. Thus, the history of the Alphonso mango is more than 500 years. The interesting story behind the name Alphonso is stated that, in the 15th century, one Portuguese general Afonso de Albuquerque Introduced the grafting technique on mango trees to produce this variety of mango which thereafter was named ‘Alphonso mango ’. ![]() But how can we protect this phenomenon ? How can Mango farmers in the Konkan region protect their Alphonso Mango from being imitated or adulterated by people from regions other than Konkan? Can Alphonso be protected under our IP laws? If yes, under which form? Or how can we ensure that we are getting only those specific Alphonso mangoes which are cultivated and harvested in Konkan? Well, all these questions we will discuss here. Otherwise, the very connection between the Konkan region and the unique and distinctive characteristics of this particular variety of mango will get lost. Therefore, the protection against imitators from other regions is crucial. Since the characteristic of the Alphonso is region-specific, it cannot be recognized as Alphonso if cultivated in a region other than Konkan. When we say Mango, automatically we connect it with Devgad or Ratnagiri from Konkan Region, right? The reason is that this particular variety possesses special characteristics which correspond to a particular region of our India.
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