Kolhapur jaggery

The Kolhapur jaggery is a variety of jaggery (non-centrifugal cane sugar) made from fresh sugarcane juice in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is an agri-product manufactured from sugarcane which is a common and widely cultivated crop in Kolhapur.^[2][3] The waters of the streams forming the Panchganga river are primarily used for sugarcane cultivation in Kolhapur.^[4][5][6][7] It is also the most exported variety of jaggery from India.^[8]

Kolhapur jaggery
Geographical indication
Organic Chemical-free Kolhapur Jaggery Dhep (Block) - 1 Kg each
Alternative names	Kolhapuri Gul (कोल्हापुरी गूळ)[1]
Description	A jaggery (agri-product) made from fresh sugarcane juice in Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Type	Jaggery
Area	Kolhapur
Country	India
Registered	31 March 2014
Official website	ipindia.gov.in

Name

Kolhapur jaggery made from sugarcane is a prized crop in Kolhapur and so named after it.^[9]

Local name

It is known as 'Kolhapuri Gul (कोल्हापुरी गूळ)' - Gul means jaggery while the word "Kolhapuri" means from the region of Kolhapur, in the local state language of Marathi.^[10][11]

Description

This popular jaggery variant is made from unrefined sugarcane juice, manually extracted and processed using traditional boiling, churning, and filtering methods. The result is a distinctively flavored and textured jaggery, often relished in its crystallized state.^[12]

1. Kolhapur jaggery is white, golden (reddish-brown) and chemical-free.
2. It is made from fresh sugarcane juice, providing a permanent sweet taste.
3. The jaggery has no added colors, chemicals, additives, or flavors.

Traditional jaggery production

Traditional jaggery production has organic methods, which involves selecting high-quality juice from ripe sugarcane. There are 3 skilled artisans, the 'Chulvan', 'Adsule' and 'Gulave', who play crucial roles in the process.

The 'Chulvan' ensures uniform heat distribution for boiling, while the 'Adsule' clarifies the molasses from the juice. The 'Gulave', the master jaggery chemist, has special skills as an expert sense of timing for stirring, inspecting, and determining the optimal moment to fill the pots. Notably, these traditional processes rely on experience and instinct, having been perfected without modern tools like viscosity meters, thermometers, and refractors.^[13]

Usage

Maharashtra is India's largest producer and consumer of jaggery. Jaggery's cultural role in the region is significant, particularly during Makar Sankranti, where it's used to make sweetmeat called Tilgul. In rural Maharashtra, jaggery and water are offered as a refreshing welcome drink. A byproduct of jaggery production, Kakvi, is also used in rural Maharashtra as a sweetener. It is used also in Ayurveda. It is a staple ingredient in Maharashtrian cuisine, used in various dishes like vegetable curries and dals.^[14]

Photo Gallery

Actual photos from Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Market (Kolhapur Sheti Utpanna Bazar Samiti) from Kolhapur - the original applicant for the GI Tag. ^[15]

• 
  Kakvi - Kolhapuri liquid jaggery (Organic Chemical-free)
• 
  Kolhapur jaggery in semi-liquid form filled in the "Vafaa" rectangular section. Later will be transferred into the 1 Kg containers with white cloth placed inside it for making Jaggery blocks (Dheps)
• 
  Another photo of Kolhapur jaggery in semi-liquid form filled in the "Vafaa" rectangular section.

Geographical indication

It was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union Government of India on 31 March 2014 (valid until 30 July 2031).^[15]

Kolhapur Agricultural Produce Market (Kolhapur Sheti Utpanna Bazar Samiti) from Kolhapur, proposed the GI registration of Kolhapur jaggery. After filing the application in January 2012, the jaggery was granted the GI tag in 2021 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Kolhapur jaggery" exclusive to the jaggery manufactured in the region. It thus became the first jaggery variety from Maharashtra and the ninth type of goods from Maharashtra to earn the GI tag.^[16]

See also

• Muzaffarnagar jaggery
• Central Travancore jaggery
• Marayoor jaggery
• Kolhapuri Chappal
• Sangli turmeric
• Sangli raisins

Notes

1. "First batch of jaggery sold for Rs 5,100 per quintal in Kolhapur's Shahu market". The Times of India. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
2. "GI tag conserves fragrance, rich taste of Maharashtra's 7 agri products". The Times of India. 1 April 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
3. "One month after floods: 75% of Kolhapur's sugarcane crop destroyed". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
4. Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Kolhapur. Printed at the Government Central Press. 1886. p. 10. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
5. "Heavy rains push Panchganga river in Kolhapur near danger mark". The New Indian Express. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
6. "Panchganaga river news: More than 2,000 people relocated as river flows above danger mark in Maharashtra's Kolhapur". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
7. "Panchaganga approaches warning mark, Kolhapur dist admin on alert". The Times of India. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
8. Bharadwaj, Monisha (16 July 2018). Indian Cookery Course. Octopus. ISBN 978-0-85783-593-2. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
9. SHINDE, DR MAHADEV ANNAPPA (9 March 2022). SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES IN KOLHAPUR DISTRICT. Dnyanmangal Prakashan Vitaran. pp. 15, 21. ISBN 978-93-92538-62-9. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
10. "Include Kolhapur jaggery in midday meal plan: APMC to state government". The Times of India. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
11. Jugale, Vasant Bira (2000). Sugarcane pricing: policy, procedure, and operations. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. p. 98. ISBN 978-81-7156-913-7.
12. "Types of jaggery, it's uses and health benefits". The Times of India. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
13. "Bitter truth: Not all jaggery marketed as 'Kolhapuri jaggery' is the real one". The Times of India. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
14. "Kolhapur Jaggery – GI Application No. 240" (PDF). Geographical Indications Journal. 54. Government of India: 84–91. November 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
15. "Geographical Indications". Intellectual Property India. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
16. "FDA seizes 5,000 kg of adulterated jaggery in Kolhapur". The Times of India. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2024.