Gurez’s organic Black Cumin, Rajma to be promoted at G20 Summit
Women excited to introduce indigenous organic products to global market
Bandipora, May 21: The Bandipora district has found an opportunity to promote three of its famous products at the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting that started at Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Center (SKICC) today.
Black Cumin (kala Zera) grown in the forests of Gurez Valley, organic Rajma from Tulail Valley and papermache products from Sumbal Sub Division will be displayed at the meeting that shall be attended by the delegates from 20 countries.
Gurez black cumin is known for its aroma, herbal and medicinal values while Organic Rajma (Kidney Beans ) , an excellent source of protein, is famous for its unique taste and aroma throughout the country. The gift products made out of paper mache art by the artists of Sumbal are known for their aesthetic and visual appeal.
District Programme manager Bandipora Shreen Shafi said the G20 summit in Srinagar came as a blessing for the Self help Groups registered at JK Rural Livelihood Mission. She said they have found this as an opportunity to promote these products at the exhibition.
She said the SRLM has branded the Kala Zeera and Rajma under the brand name “Gurez Naturals” and they will find this great opportunity to introduce the products to the world. She said the products are already available on leading online shopping websites including amazon.
She said despite the challenging terrain and remote location of Gurez and Tulial sub divisions of district Bandipora, JKRLM-Umeed took an innovative approach to encourage entrepreneurship by forming women-based self-help groups (SHGs). She said these groups were motivated to form an activity group and collect wild black zeera, which they soon realized had high demand and medicinal benefits.
“With support from JKRLM, the brand "Gurez Naturals" was launched, allowing the group to sell their product online and avoid commercial isolation”.
She said the decision to focus on collecting wild black zeera was an intelligent move, as it provided the women with a product that had high demand and medicinal benefits.
“This gave the group a competitive edge in the market and helped them to establish their brand "Gurez Naturals." By selling their product online, the group was able to reach a wider audience and avoid the commercial isolation that often comes with operating in a remote location,” she added.
Officials informed that the success of the "Gurez Naturals" brand is a testament to the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and communities. By empowering women and providing them with the resources and support they need to start their own businesses, organizations like JKRLM-Umeed are creating sustainable and inclusive development pathways.
The women members said they have so far received an extraordinary response from the people and the summit has provided them an opportunity to go global.
“Our teams will try our best to introduce this organic brand to the participants that shall put the product in the international market”.
