Gulbarga Tur Dal
{{Short description|Type of Pigeon pea variety from Karnataka, India}}
{{Infobox geographical indication
| name = Gulbarga Tur Dal (ಕಲಬುರಗಿ ತೊಗರಿ ಬೇಳೆ)
| image = Gulbarga Tur Dal (Unsplit).jpg
| alt = Gulbarga Tur Dal (Unsplit)
| caption = Gulbarga Tur Dal (Unsplit)
| alternative names = 'Kalaburagi Togari Bele', 'Gulyal', 'Chaple' or 'Bennur local'
| description = Pigeon pea variety cultivated in Karnataka, India
| type = Pigeon pea
| area = Kalaburagi district
| country = India
| registered = 14 August 2019
| material =
| official website ={{URL|https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GirPublic/Application/Details/593|ipindia.gov.in}}}}
Gulbarga Tur Dal is a variety of pigeon pea cultivated in the Indian state of Karnataka.{{cite news |last1=Kulkarni |first1=Vishwanath |title=GI-tagged Kalaburgi tur producers seek separate MSP for the pulses variety |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/gi-tagged-kalaburgi-tur-producers-seek-separate-msp-for-the-pulses-variety/article68528928.ece |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=BusinessLine |date=15 August 2024 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Muzammil |first1=Mohammad |last2=Khan |first2=Abid Ali |last3=Hasan |first3=Faisal |title=Ergonomics for Improved Productivity: Proceedings of HWWE 2017 Volume 2 |date=13 December 2021 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-981-16-2229-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KcpUEAAAQBAJ&dq=Gulbarga+Tur+Dal&pg=PA105 |access-date=12 January 2025 |language=en}} It is a common and widely cultivated crop in talukas of Aland, Chincholi, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Afzalpur, Chittapur, Sedam and Jewargi located in Kalaburagi district along with Shorapur, Shahpur and Yadgir talukas of Yadgir district. Both districts fall under Kalaburagi division. Kalaburagi district (formerly Gulbarga) accounts for 60% of Karnataka's total tur dal production, with Karnataka being the largest tur dal producer in the country.{{cite news |title=Tur prices may rise as dry spell hits production |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/business/tur-prices-may-rise-as-dry-spell-hits-production-3307359 |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Deccan Herald |language=en}} Kalaburagi district cultivates red gram in 3.7 lakh hectares of land, which accounts for nearly 41% of the total 9 lakh hectares of red gram cultivation in Karnataka.{{cite news |author=Staff Reporter |title=GI tag for 'Gulbarga Tur Dal' in a month |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/gi-tag-for-gulbarga-tur-dal-in-a-month/article22414507.ece |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The Hindu |date=10 January 2018 |language=en-IN}}{{cite news |title=Tur dal industry in soup: Over 300 mills shut down in Kalaburagi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/tur-dal-industry-in-soup-over-300-mills-shut-down-in-kalaburagi/articleshow/65030109.cms |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The Times of India |date=18 July 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Lalitha |first1=S. |title=Postal department to release special covers on 42 GI tags of Karnataka |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2021/Aug/29/postal-department-to-release-special-covers-on-42-gi-tags-ofkarnataka-2351334.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The New Indian Express |date=29 August 2021 |language=en}}
Under its Geographical Indication tag, it is referred to as "'Gulbarga Tur Dal".{{cite web |title=Details {{!}} Geographical Indications {{!}} Intellectual Property India |url=https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GirPublic/Application/Details/593 |website=Intellectual Property India |access-date=12 January 2025 |language=en}}
==Name==
Gulbarga Tur Dal is a prized agricultural produce in Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts falling under Kalaburagi division (formerly known as Gulbarga) and so named after it.{{cite book |last1=Bhattacharya |first1=Niharika Sahoo |title=Geographical Indication Protection in India: The Evolving Paradigm |date=13 September 2022 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-981-19-4296-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdiIEAAAQBAJ&dq=Gulbarga+Tur+Dal&pg=PA216 |access-date=12 January 2025 |language=en}} It is called "Kalaburagi Togari Bele" in the state language of Kannada with Togari meaning Pigeon pea and Bele meaning lentil. Locally it is known as 'Gulyal', 'Chaple' or 'Bennur local'.
Description
The local Tur Dal from Kalaburagi is unique compared to other varieties cultivated in Karnataka. It has a distinct taste, aroma, lesser cooking period, and higher shelf life quality. This is due to the richness of calcium and potassium in the soils of the region, along with high milling qualities.{{cite news |last1=Reddy |first1=K. N. |title=Finally, Kalaburagi’s red gram gets GI tag, farmers to benefit |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/270819/finally-kalaburagis-red-gram-gets-gi-tag-farmers-to-benefit.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=www.deccanchronicle.com |date=27 August 2019 |language=en}}
The district's climatic conditions are relatively warm and dry, with less annual rainfall.{{cite news |title=Farmers start sowing Kharif crops in Kalaburagi |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bengaluru/farmers-start-sowing-kharif-crops-in-kalaburagi/story-8uFg7a4INZW7Gc4ytdNgEP.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |date=24 June 2020 |language=en-us}}{{cite news |title=Heavy rains wash away Kalaburagi farmers' hopes of good tur yield |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/heavy-rains-wash-away-kalaburagi-farmers-hopes-of-good-tur-yield-3201958 |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Deccan Herald |language=en}} Despite this, the region's highly fertile black cotton soils are suitable for redgram cultivation.{{cite news |title=Heavy losses |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/article30158955.ece |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Frontline - The Hindu |publisher=THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD |date=3 April 1998 |language=en}} Gulbarga district is known as the 'Tur Bowl of Karnataka' due to its prominent tur dal production.{{cite news |title='Bhima Pulse' set for brand boost with own processing units in Kalaburagi |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bhima-pulse-set-for-brand-boost-with-own-processing-units-in-kalaburagi-3115083 |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Deccan Herald |language=en}} The quality Tur Dal from this region is distributed and marketed to other regions and states of India.
Kalaburagi has around 250 dal mills, with capacities to process 10 to 15 tonnes of Tur per day.{{cite news |last1=Buradikatti |first1=Kumar |title=To avoid GST, dal and rice traders give up registered trademarks |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/to-avoid-gst-dal-and-rice-traders-give-up-registered-trademarks/article19286895.ece |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The Hindu |date=15 July 2017 |language=en-IN}} The physical characteristics of Gulbarga Tur Dal include an orange-yellow color, pleasant aroma during and after cooking, and a fine texture when cooked. The split dal is attractive, with clear edges that are not broken.
Geographical indication
It was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry, under the Union Government of India, on 14 August 2019 and is valid until 25 September 2027.{{cite web |title=Gulbarga Tur Dal |url=https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/593 |website=Intellectual Property India |access-date=13 January 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Service |first1=Express News |title=Karnataka: Speed Post to deliver GI-tagged tur dal |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2024/Jan/31/karnataka-speed-post-to-deliver-gi-tagged-tur-dal |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The New Indian Express |date=31 January 2024 |language=en}}
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) & Karnataka Togari Abhivrudhi Mandali Limited from Kalaburagi, proposed the GI registration of 'Gulbarga Tur Dal.{{cite news |last1=Para |first1=Praveen B. |title=Gulbarga tur dal gets GI tag |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/gulbarga-tur-dal-gets-gi-tag/article29249037.ece |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=The Hindu |date=24 August 2019 |language=en-IN}} After filing the application in September 2017, the Tur Dal was granted the GI tag in 2019 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Gulbarga Tur Dal" exclusive to the Tur Dal cultivated in the region. It thus became the second Pigeon pea variety from India after Navapur Tur Dal of Maharashtra and the 49th type of goods from Karnataka to earn the GI tag.{{cite web |title=Gulbarga Tur Dal |url=https://ipindia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/IPOJournal/1_4733_1/Journal_120.pdf |website=Intellectual Property India |access-date=12 January 2025}}{{cite news |title=With GI recognition for 'Gulbarga tur', new brand name can't tag along |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/with-gi-recognition-for-gulbarga-tur-new-brand-name-cant-tag-along-1091325.html |access-date=12 January 2025 |work=Deccan Herald |language=en}}
The GI tag protects the Tur Dal from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.