Kunthalgiri Khoya gets GI tag; Know more
Kunthalgiri Khoya gets GI tag; Know more
By: Pune Pulse
December 16, 2023
Pune: Kunthalgiri Khawa (Khoya) in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra has been given a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Central Government.
In 1972, the farmers of this area started making khawa (Khoya) and khawa peda (sweet) from milk as a supplementary business to agriculture. At Kunthalgiri phata on the Solapur Dhule highway, this business, which started at two to three places, has gained national recognition today.
As per further information, some of the farmers in the Kunthalgiri area have started dairying as an additional business to agriculture. They started selling khawa and khawa peda. Later, many farmers in the area chose the same route. Now the main business in this area is making khawa and peda.
Seeing the nutritional value and quality of the khawa here, the central government has given it a GI rating. Since there is less water for agriculture in this area and the area is hilly, the number of people doing this business is increasing day by day. Therefore, the export of Kunthalgiri khawa has started to be done in pilgrimage places across the country.
25 thousand farmers are engaged in the milk business in this area. So, 300 bhattis (furnaces) for khawa and 200 bhattis (furnaces) for pedha operate in this place. It produces 30 tonnes of khawa per day.
The pedha is sold at pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra and outside the state. Through that, 5 thousand youths of the Kunthalgiri area have got permanent employment.
Overall, Kunthalgiri is famous all over the country for Khawa and Pedha.
Shreyas Vange
