Govt to brand shatranji, black tiger shrimp in Europe

The government plans to start branding shatranji and locally grown black tiger shrimp (or Bagda chingri in Bangla) as GI products to amplify their popularity in Europe, the biggest market for Bangladesh's exportable products.

The Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign used on some particular products to certify that they possess certain qualities enabled by the environment, weather and culture of a country.

This in effect facilitates branding highlighting traditions and reputations in the global market and creates a separate demand for the product.

The path to commercial production, marketing rights and legal protection is paved. GI-tagged products fetch higher prices compared to similar products in other countries.

Shatranji got recognition as a GI product in June 2021. A craft originating Rangpur, shatranji is basically a sitting mat made by handloom off of garment waste, such as leftover cotton.

Black tiger shrimp, grown in the southern coastal belts in brackish water, is expected to get the GI certificate soon, according to officials of the industries ministry's Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT).

They said to be teaming up with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to work on branding the two, which have already raked up substantial value in international markets. The DPDT in its journal said shatranji accounted for 50 per cent of the handicrafts exported to various European countries each year, earning about $40 lakh.

Black tiger shrimp accounts for 80 per cent of the country's total seafood export and 77 per cent of all species of shrimp.

According to the ministry, the WIPO has expertise in branding products in the European market and they agreed to collaborate. In a recent meeting, the DPDT selected these two products for branding for the first time.

Abdus Sattar, registrar of the DPDT, said the WIPO's involvement here would as an advisory body.

"We need their help to know the packaging process of a product for export. And they will train some of us, who will work for branding other products in future," he said.

Meanwhile, the DPDT will hold a meeting with stakeholders of the black tiger shrimp industry in Khulna on November 29 and with those of the shatranji industry in Rangpur on December 6 on this issue.

Belal Hossen, examiner (trademarks) of the DPDT, is the focal point here. He said traders of small and medium-scale enterprises now export those items on a small scale but they were lagging behind in terms of branding.

"If we can conduct proper branding, they will get fair prices for this GI product in the international market as well," he said.

The first product to get the GI certification of the DPDT was the Jamdani saree, in 2016. Then it was the hilsa in 2017 and Chapainawabganj's Khirsapati mango in 2018.

In March this year, six more we added to the list -- Dhakai Muslin, Rajshahi silk, Rangpur's shatranji, sada mati or China clay of Bijoypur at Netrakona, Kataribhog paddy of Dinajpur and Kalijira paddy.

Arefin Siddique, an entrepreneur and exporter of shatranji in Rangpur, said it would be a very good initiative.

"I am exporting shatranji to 12 countries regularly, but small and medium entrepreneurs face various hurdles in exporting their products. Through this initiative, the business of those who are in this sector will expand," he said.

Shyamal Das, managing director of Jessore's MU Seafoods, said it was true that such initiatives would help small and medium-sized businesses. He suggested that the government should separate branding promotions at fairs held abroad.