In a "Mishti move" since 1904, the winter's sweet of West Bengal exported abroad!

Do you know about the popular dish 'Joyanagar moa'? On January 20, this winter's sweet of West Bengal exported to Bahrain for the first time!

We all know that West Bengal is popular for its sweets that attract people from all over India. But, on Wednesday, the winter's sweet of West Bengal exported abroad for the first time in a century. This sweet chance to taste the traditional sweet of Bengal has been given to Bahrain.

Ashutosh Das, a resident of Joynagar had first prepared Joyanagar moa in 1904. In the year 2014, the sweet had received the GI tag. This tag assures that a product belongs to a particular geographic location. Hence, it is the first time now that Bengal has exported 45 kilos of Moa. The state has also sent along, 105 kilos of Patali Gur (date palm jaggery).

Joyanagar Moa is widely available in the markets during winters. It is prepared with Kanakchur Khoi (fried aromatic paddy), nolen gur (molasses), ghee and khoya kheer. Other items required for the sweet are cardamom, raisins, and cashew nuts.

At present, only 25 manufacturers from Joynagar block in South 24 Parganas district prepare the sweets. These districts are around 50 km south of Kolkata. These manufacturers have tied up with a few local shop owners who are certified to sell GI tagged moa.

Moa remains in good condition for just five days. Hence, the export development authority has sent the sweets in boxes packed in dry ice. The boxes contain six pieces of moa costing Rs 150 per box. Further, the one-kilo moa will cost Rs 500. On the contrary, the cost of one piece is Rs 30 in the markets of West Bengal.

The team will check whether moa can be stored for 9 to 10 days or not. If the result comes positive, the authority will also send the consignments to Italy and Canada.

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