Cuttack, Sept 8: Banki farmers have claimed that the Kanteimundi brinjal that earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag last week is a farm produce of their region not of Nayagarh.
The farmers' body of Banki claim that the rare special variety of brinjal was first produced in Kendupalli area which was also known as 'Kendupalli brinjal'. Farmers of around 25 villagers are cultivating the brinjal over 100 acres of farmland for centuries during Rabi season.
The farmers' body of Banki had appealed to the district administration several times to apply for GI tag and submitted documents during 2005 and 2007. However, the district administration took no step.
Notably, the Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) had applied for the GI tag in February 2021.
Kanteimundi brinjal is a vegetable crop with lots of prickly thorns on the veggie as well as the whole plant. The vegetables are green in colour, round in shape containing more number of seeds as compared to other genotypes.
The brinjal is cultivated in the sandy soil and having unique taste and flavour attributed to the skill of the local growers who have been cultivating this crop for more than 100 years. The crop is confined to Nayagarh district.
It is famous for its unique taste and quick cooking quality than other varieties of the species. The vegetable is resistant to major insects, pests and diseases and is observed with either minimal or nil incidence of pest and disease which is one of unique characteristic of the crop and for which it has a wide acceptability in the district.
The vegetable has originated from Badabanapur and Ratanpur area of Khandapada block and Dhanchangda, Laxmiprasad, Kumundi and Fategarh area of Bhapur block and now farmers of the whole Nayagarh district are growing such variety due its good market price and consumer acceptance.
