Nagaland's "sweet cucumber" gets GI tag

Nagaland's "sweet cucumber" was awarded a GI tag as an agricultural product under provisions of The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.Naga cucumbers are juicy, soft and sweet and is grown completely organically. They are low in calories but high in potassium and contain a high level of water & can serve as an alternative to consuming sports drinks. Cucumber has been traditionally cultivated by Naga farmers in their Jhum fields as a mixed crop mainly during the Kharif season (April –May). It is one of the important component crops in the jhum cultivation. The cucumber is one of the most important crops in the Northeast region. Nagaland has the fifth-highest cultivation of this fruit area-wise, and ranks third in production.
This is primarily grown as a cash crop along with paddy and however, now the ‘off-season’ cucumbers from different districts of the Nagaland especially from Mokokchung district have gained much popularity within the state and now it has become a trend amongst the farmers in the district. Some tribes like Konyak are found to grow cucumber all throughout the year by seed to seed method depending upon the soil type. Many different local varieties of cucumber which are soft, juicy and have a sweet taste are grown throughout Nagaland.  Naga cucumbers are a kind of fruits that differ in taste, shape and sizes from those available in other