The efforts of Goa-based Feni Producers’ Association and the state Government to get patent rights for the famed Kaju Feni seems to be finally bearing fruit. A team of officials from the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, visited various distillaries in the state last week and met people engaged in the process.

Goa is the only place in the world where feni (liqour) is made from the juice of cashew apple. Though the process was introduced to Goa some 450 years ago by the Portuguese rulers, today nowhere in Portugal or in its former colonies liquor is extracted from Kaju fruit. In fact, Goa today has a roaring business of feni with more than 2,000 distillation outlets and a handful of modern factories working overtime. According to Gurudatt Bhakta, president of Feni Producers Association, the distillation is done in the most modern way in factories. Claiming that the Association was proud about the quality of the product, he said: “We can easily export it, provided we get patent for it which will automatically make it a standard quality product.”

“We have satisfied the experts from the GIR and their queries were answered,” said Bhakta. The bottling, preservation, blending and maturity of feni were also discussed. The Goa Government’s Science and Technology department also presented the case as a unique geographical product pertaining to the region with unique characterisation to country and the world.

Michael D’Souza, an official from the Science and Technology department told The Indian Express that they were quite satisfied with the presentations. The Government expects certification by first week of May. “The Committee has asked us to submit more information on the product and then they plan to publish the information in the ‘World Trademark’ journal inviting objections. Then, after a period of 120 days, the actual certification is given,” he informed.

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