Goa, May 19 -- At a technical session held during the two-day Cashew Fest organized by the Goa Forest Development Corporation, officials and industry experts highlighted the growing problem of counterfeit cashew products being falsely marketed as authentic Goan cashew nuts. The session called for urgent measures to protect the integrity of the local cashew industry.

The key solution proposed by the panel was the Geographical Indication (GI) tagging of genuine Goan cashew brands. Experts stressed that GI tagging would serve as a vital tool to distinguish locally grown, high-quality cashews from low-grade or counterfeit varieties that are increasingly saturating the market under the 'Goan' label.

Several speakers also suggested taking the...