GI tag sought for Matti banana

The Kanniyakumari Banana and Horticulture Farmers Producer Company Limited has applied for the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Matti banana grown in that district in Tamil Nadu. This particular variety is cultivated in many parts of Nagercoil and Padmanabhapuram division.

The MSME Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre and NABARD’s Madurai Agri Business Incubation Forum were the facilitators for this application that was filed by P. Sanjay Gandhi, nodal officer, Geographical Indications Registration Products, Government of Tamil Nadu.

According to details provided in the application, this particular fruit is used as baby food and has medicinal properties to improve health. The filing claimed that the tribes of Western Ghats use

Matti for curing jaundice.

Matti variety belonging to the AA type medium-sized plant with yellowish green leaves takes about 15 months to mature from the time of planting to harvest stage. The fruit looks like mouth of a crocodile and is also called ‘Crocodile Finger Banana’.