Two Georgian sauces to acquire geographical indication status

Georgian spicy sauce ajika and sour plum sauce tkemali will acquire geographical indications - a domestic status confirming their origin and uniqueness, the National Intellectual Property Centre of Georgia announced on Thursday. 

The agency said the two sauces would gain the status in three months following the publication of application materials submitted for registration by the country’s Agriculture Ministry, adding granting the status to the two products would further increase their value and demand.

The geographical indication status for ajika and tkemali will also play an “important role” in the regional development of the country, the state body said, creating new jobs and increasing incomes along with a reduction of the current outflow of labour.

[The status] stimulates attraction of new labour force, increases awareness of the region and promotes development of agrarian tourism”, the Centre added.

Originating in western Georgia’s Samegrelo and the Russian-occupied Abkhazia region, ajika was granted the status of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia in 2018. The main ingredients of the product are red pepper, garlic and dried spice, with numerous variations of the sauce found across the country. Photo: The National Intellectual Property Centre of Georgia

In its application for acquiring the status for tkemali, the Agriculture Ministry called the sauce a “trademark” of Georgian cuisine, saying the product was recognised as the “number one sauce” in the country. Produced in all regions, tkemali is also considered to have originated in Georgia’s west.