Darjeeling Mandarin Orange Secures GI Tag, Boosting Hopes For Farmer Revival

The ‘Darjeeling Mandarin Orange’ has officially been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, an official confirmed on Monday. The recognition was granted by the GI Registry on November 24, 2025, with the Darjeeling Organic Farmers Producer Organisation (DOFPO) named as the registered proprietor. According to an official from Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (UBKV), both UBKV and the Patent Information Centre (PIC) played key roles in facilitating the application.

Officials noted that the GI status could become a turning point for reviving the cultivation of the region’s famed mandarins, which have suffered significant setbacks over the last 15 years due to persistent virus infections and pest attacks. The next phase, they said, involves enlisting all growers across Darjeeling and Kalimpong as ‘Authorised Users’, enabling them to legally market their produce under the GI label and secure fair compensation.

Long woven into the cultural and economic fabric of the hills, the Darjeeling Mandarin Orange has supported local communities for generations.

Welcoming the development, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said in a statement, "I congratulate Darjeeling Organic Farm Producers Organisation (DOFPO) in Mirik, the Patent Information Centre (PIC) of the West Bengal State Council of Science and Technology (WBSCS&T) and the Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalay for their tireless work in securing official Geographical Indication (GI) status for the famous Darjeeling Mandarin Orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco)."

Bista added that this recognition makes it the second product from the region, after Dalley Khorsani, to obtain GI status.

Highlighting what sets the fruit apart, he said, "The GI tag celebrates the unique qualities of our 'suntala' (as known in the hills) grown only in the cool, misty hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Its sweetness, aroma, and distinct flavour come from the special climate and soil that make our mandarins unlike any other."

He expressed confidence that the GI tag will bring substantial benefits to farmers. "It will enable our Darjeeling Mandarin Orange to gain greater authenticity and market value. It will open up doors to premium national and international markets. Further, it will help prevent misuse of the 'Darjeeling' brand and ensure that farmers receive better prices for genuine fruit grown in our hills. This new status also encourages investment, better farming practices, and renewed interest among young growers,’ he added.

Bista also voiced optimism that the hills’ other distinctive agricultural products, including cardamom, ginger, iskus, plum, rayo-ko-saag, garendal (passion fruit), masem ko daal, bhadrase, pineapple, and kaulo will eventually secure similar GI protection through coordinated efforts.

With PTI inputs