The Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Krishi Vigyan Kendra attached to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute here has registered a trademark Jaiva Pokkali at the Chennai trademark registry to be leased free to groups of pokkali farmers, who wish to use the trademark on their produce.
The registration has been done in class 29, which includes fish and in 30, which includes cereals. The traditional pokkali cultivation is in cycles of one fish and one rice crop through the year. Though the trademark is now the property of KVK, it will be “leased free of cost to farmer groups who are interested” in marketing their pokkali produce, says a press release from the KVK. However, such groups have to sign an MoU with the KVK. Pokkali is a rice variety that is now in the geographical indication registry. Grown in the coastal areas of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur, the rice variety is resistant to salt and can survive in flooded conditions.
Special Correspondent
