Sangli turmeric is a variety of

turmeric Turmeric (), or ''Curcuma longa'' (), is a flowering plant in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. It is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia that requires temperatures between and high ...

mainly grown in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in Sangli district. Turmeric cultivation is prominent in the southern region of Sangli, specifically in the areas of

Miraj Miraj (Pronunciation: iɾəd͡z ) is a city that is part of the Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad metropolitan region in Sangli district, Maharashtra. Founded in the early 10th century, Miraj was an important jagir of the Bijapur Sultanate. Chhatrapa ...

, Tasgaon, Palus,

Kadegaon Kadegaon is a village and taluka of Sangli district of Maharashtra in India. Kadegaon is a Taluka in Sangli District of Maharashtra, India. Kadegaon Taluka's Headquarters is Kadegaon village. It is in the Paschim Maharashtra region, Pune Divi ...

, Walwa, Vita,

Khanapur Khanapur known as Khanapura is a panchayat town in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India. It is about 26 km from Belagavi, the administrative capital of the district. The Khanapur Municipal Council governs the town. Khanapur is the headquar ...

, and Chinchali. Sangli accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the state’s total production and stands as the premier trading hub for turmeric in Asia, and possibly globally. The district has garnered the nickname "Saffron City" due to its strong association with turmeric. Under its

Geographical Indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, is inten ...

tag, it is referred to as "Sangli Turmeric".

Name

Sangli turmeric is a prized crop in Sangli district and so named after it, with Sangli earning the reputation as the "Turmeric City" due to its extensive production of turmeric.

Local name

It is known locally as Sanglichi Halad (सांगलीची हळद). "Halad" means turmeric in the local state language of

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India **Marathi people (Uttar Pradesh), the Marathi people in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Mar ...

Description

Sangli Turmeric is highly prized for its rich saffron color, making it a sought-after ingredient among spice manufacturers. This variety boasts a unique flavor profile, characterized by earthy, slightly bitter, and hot peppery notes, accompanied by a mustardy aroma. The appearance of Sangli Turmeric is marked by thick, fleshy rhizomes with less wrinkles and thin skin. Its saffron color and thick size make it an ideal addition to various culinary preparations, imparting a deep color and a distinctive flavor. Sangli Turmeric has worldwide acceptance. Sangli turmeric is renowned for its saffron color and distinctive flavor as unlike other varieties, the color of Sangli turmeric rhizomes remains consistent inside and out due to the local soil. Sangli district features a traditional, airtight underground storage system for turmeric, locally referred to as "Peve". The unique color and aroma of Sangli turmeric are attributed to "Peve" and the physical properties of the local soil. These storage pits are found in the open fields of Haripur and Sangliwadi villages. "Rajapuri" is a renowned turmeric variety originating from Sangli district. Sangli turmeric gained fame as "Rajapuri turmeric" due to its export to several countries through the Rajapur harbor port. In 2009, Sangli APMC celebrated 100 years of turmeric trading. The historic "Turmeric Wayade Bazar" auction system began in Sangli in 1910. Turmeric is a significant export item from Sangli district, used as a spice, dye, and in medicinal and cosmetic applications. It is traded to various Indian states, including

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

, and

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

, as well as exported to countries like the

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, and

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nations. Sangli turmeric is a major foreign exchange earner for India. The Sangli

APMC An Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) is a marketing board established by state governments in India to ensure farmers are safeguarded from exploitation by large retailers, as well as ensuring the farm to retail price spread does not ...

has a large-scale auction market system, influencing price fluctuations at the national level. The market review of turmeric transactions at Sangli is published in leading newspapers like the

Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...

. On average, the turmeric trade at Sangli amounts to 1,39,965 quintals per year, contributing substantially to India's total turmeric trade. Sangli turmeric is used as a condiment, natural dye, and in traditional medicine and cosmetics, as well as in religious ceremonies.

Geographical indication

It was awarded the

(GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the

Union Government of India The Government of India (ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of 36 states and union territo ...

on 7 November 2018 (valid until 25 April 2024). Sangli Turmeric Cluster Pvt Ltd, from Sangli, proposed the GI registration of Sangli turmeric. After filing the application in August 2014, the Turmeric was granted the GI tag in 2018 by the Geographical Indication Registry in

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

, making the name "Sangli turmeric" exclusive to the Turmeric grown in the region. It thus became the second turmeric variety from Maharashtra after Waigaon Turmeric and the 32nd type of goods from Maharashtra to earn the GI tag.

References

{{Reflist Indian cuisine GI Tagged Turmeric varieties of India Turmeric production in India Agriculture in Maharashtra Economy of Maharashtra Geographical indications in Maharashtra Sangli district

Name

Local name

Description

Geographical indication

See also

References