Telangana Sends First GI-Tagged Tandur Red Gram Consignment to Australia

A 2.5 metric tonnes consignment of GI-tagged Tandur red gram was virtually flagged off from Hyderabad to Australia on Wednesday (October 28, 2026).

The shipment was facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Surendra Mohan, Secretary, Agriculture Department and Commissioner, Agriculture Production, and R. P. Naidu, AGM, APEDA, Hyderabad, virtually flagged off the consignment.

The first consignment was exported by M/s. Durga Exports and Imports, Hyderabad, under the brand name AMMAAS.

First GI-tagged agricultural product from Telangana

Tandur red gram is the first agricultural product from Telangana to receive Geographical Indication (GI) registration.

According to official communication, the export shipment is a step towards exploring new overseas markets and expanding opportunities for farmers, producers, and exporters.

The red gram has more protein content than cereals.

Cultivation in four mandals

Tandur red gram is primarily cultivated in the rainfed tracts of four mandals in the Tandur region: Tandur, Basheerabad, Peddemul and Yelal.

Its distinctive characteristics are associated with the region’s fertile deep black soils, the presence of attapulgite clay mineral deposits, and substantial limestone deposits.

Budeli Sailu, a farmer from Kathalpur in Tandur mandal who cultivates the food grains, said there is demand for the product in other districts and States.

He said he would harvest the current red gram crop on his farm in two months.

“It usually takes six months to harvest the crop,” Mr. Sailu said.

Farmers and officials join programme

Farmers participated in the programme along with B. Kavitha, Vikarabad District Agriculture Officer, and Sampath Kumar, ITS, Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, Regional Authority, Hyderabad.

The consignment’s dispatch to Australia links a crop identified with the Tandur region to an export effort facilitated by APEDA.

The initiative also places the product’s GI registration alongside efforts to seek overseas markets for farmers, producers and exporters.

Source: The Hindu