Srinagar: Seven months after getting Geographic Indication (GI) tagging, Kashmiri saffron is now available in the United Arab Emirates.
In May, Kashmiri saffron was given GI tagging by the Indian government. The tagging is done as a sign to show the specific origin of the products.
World's costliest and finest Kashmiri spice was on Wednesday launched during the two-day UAE-India Food Security Summit 2020. The Summit was attended by over 500 participants from public and private sector organisations.
The saffron was officially unveiled by Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary of Department of Agriculture and Dr Aman Puri, consulate general of India in Dubai, at one of the biggest retail chains of Dubai Al Maya.
Soon after the launch of Saffron, Choudhary expressed his satisfaction and thanked CGI Dubai for making it possible.
"I am delighted that Kashmiri saffron has found a place at a store like this. I thank consulate general of India in Dubai for making this tie-up," Choudhary said.
"Kashmiri saffron is GI tagged and as such has been tested for its originality before being exported. I believe that export will grow to other places of Dubai and elsewhere," he added.
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While expressing his joy over the initiative, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah appreciated the role of Consulate General of India in Dubai.
"Good to see Kashmiri Saffron being launched in Dubai. The role of the @cgidubai in making this possible is greatly appreciated," he said in a tweet.
Besides Saffron, Rice, Apple and other organic spices from Jammu and Kashmir were also displayed during the summit.
Yesterday, a 20 member delegation led by Navin Kumar Chaudhary reached Dubai to attend the India-UAE Food Security Summit 2020.
The summit is aimed for strengthening the marketing of agricultural and horticultural products of India and the United Arab Emirates.
India-UAE Food Security Summit 2020 which concluded today was organised by the Consulate General of India, Dubai, in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industries.
"The two-day summit concluded today with the optimism to take UAE -India partnership in the food sector to the next level. The stakeholders of the food and allied industries sector exchanged ideas and deliberated on opportunities and challenges in this sector," a statement issued by Dubai CGI read.
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