APEDA Flags Off First GI-Tagged Salem Sago (Sabudhana) Export to Canada

· Event: APEDA facilitated the export of 0.5 MT of GI-tagged Salem Sago from Tamil Nadu to Canada.

· Date: Flag-off held on 18 February 2026 at SAGOSERVE premises in Salem.

· GI Registration: Salem Sago received its GI tag in March 2023, registered by SAGOSERVE under the Government of Tamil Nadu.

· Exporter: SAGOSERVE (GI Authorised User Society) shipped the consignment directly for the first time.

· Industry Role: Salem is India’s hub for sago and starch; SAGOSERVE has 334 member-manufacturers and provides warehousing, quality improvement, and cultivation support.

· Farmer Impact: Strengthens income prospects for farmers and tribal communities engaged in tapioca cultivation by improving price realization.

· Traditional Markets: Supplied to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal; exports to USA, UK, Canada, Vietnam, Singapore.

· Strategic Alignment: Initiative supports APEDA’s push for GI-tagged products, direct market linkages, and expansion of value-added agri exports.

· Future Plans: More such GI-based export flag-offs are planned to diversify India’s agri-export portfolio.

[ABS News Service/20.02.2026]

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, facilitated the export of 0.5 MT of GI-tagged Salem Sago from Salem, Tamil Nadu to Canada. This marked the first export consignment shipped directly by the GI Authorised User, SAGOSERVE, since the product received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag in March 2023.

Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of Tapioca Sago, also commonly known as Sabudhana. Salem has long been recognised as the hub of the country’s sago and starch industry. Sago is derived from tapioca roots and serves as a staple food across several parts of India.

The GI registration for Salem Sago was obtained in March 2023 by SAGOSERVE under the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Society has 334 registered member-manufacturers and plays a significant role in the marketing of sago and starch produced by its members and also provides essential service facilities such as warehousing, quality improvement measures and initiatives to enhance tapioca cultivation and sago processing standards.

The sago industry in Salem sustains a large number of farmers, including tribal communities engaged in tapioca cultivation. By linking GI-certified production with direct export opportunities, the initiative improved price realisation and strengthened income prospects for farming households dependent on tapioca cultivation.

Traditionally, Salem Sago has been supplied to traders in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and West Bengal and exported to countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Vietnam and Singapore. However, this shipment marked the first direct export from the GI Authorised User Society itself.

An export-focused programme was also held at the premises of The Salem Starch and Sago Manufacturers’ Service Industrial Cooperative Society Limited (SAGOSERVE) in Salem, Tamil Nadu on 18 February 2026, to explore exports to other key markets.

The initiative aligned with APEDA’s strategy of promoting GI-tagged products, enabling direct market linkages between producer societies and international buyers and expanding value-added agri exports from India, and more such flag-offs are planned in the near term.