GI tag sought for Thoothukudi salt, Authoor Poovan banana and Villiseri lemon with NABARD support

The producers of Thoothukudi salt, Villiseri lemon and Authoor Poovan banana have sought Geographical Indication (GI) tag, aiming to secure legal recognition for these products and enhance their market visibility. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Chennai along with NABARD-MABIF (Madurai Agribusiness Incubation Forum) were the facilitators for these three applications.

The application for securing tag for salt was filed by Thoothukudi Uppu Urapathiyalargal Sangam. Salt, in this particular region, is produced through the solar evaporation method, in which seawater or sub-soil brine is channelled into large salt pans and allowed to evaporate under intense sunlight. This natural process produces large, white, crystalline salt known for its purity and quality.

Thoothukudi accounts for nearly 30% of India’s total salt production, with around 25,000–30,000 acres of salt pans spread across villages such as Vepalodai, Tharuvaikulam, Muttayapuram, and Ottapidaram. Both edible salt and industrial-grade salt are manufactured here and supplied to households, chemical industries, leather processing units, textile dyeing units, and pharmaceutical companies.

According to details in the filing, Tamil Sangam literature (like Pattinappaalai and Puranaanuru) mentions coastal trade of pearls, salt, and fish from the Gulf of Mannar region, including Tuticorin. Salt was a common commodity exchanged in the maritime trade routes, connecting Tamilakam to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and Rome. The Pandya kings who ruled over present-day Thoothukudi district encouraged salt making as a State revenue resource. Inscriptions found in temples in south Tamil Nadu mention levies on salt and salt traders, proving its importance in the economy. Chola maritime trade records (11th century) show Tuticorin as an export port, with salt being shipped along with pearls and spices.

The Portuguese (16th century), Dutch (17th century), and British (18th–20th century), all used Tuticorin as a strategic port for salt and pearl trade. The British Salt Department developed organised salt pans in Tuticorin, which remain active even today. British records (Salt Revenue Reports, 1800s) describe Tuticorin as a major salt-producing centre of the Madras Presidency. After India’s independence, the Salt Commissioner’s Organisation (Government of India) recognised Thoothukudi as a major salt hub, producing nearly 30% of India’s salt. The establishment of V.O.C. Port (Tuticorin Port) further strengthened its role in salt exports.

The application for bananas was filed by Authoor Poovan valai Urpathiyayalargal Sangam. It is cultivated in Authoor village and its surrounding agricultural hamlets in Thoothukudi. The region lies along the Tamiraparani canal irrigation belt, which provides mineral-rich water essential for the banana’s quality. The third application was filed by Villisery Lemon Urpathiyayalargal Sangam. The Villiseri lemon of Kovilpatti is a traditional and region-specific citrus variety celebrated for its distinct aroma, high juice content, strong acidity, and naturally-long shelf life. Compared to other lemon varieties, the Villiseri lemon contains fewer seeds and maintains its freshness for longer duration.