In Tamil Nadu, the small town of Uthukuli, situated in the Tiruppur District, is acclaimed nationwide for its traditional butter, known as Uthukuli Vennai (Uthukuli Butter). Uthukuli acts as the administrative center for the Uthukuli Taluk and it has traditionally been involved in the activities of dairy farming and production of butter, thus making the dairy sector an important aspect of its economy as per the Government of Tamil Nadu.The popularity of the butter is due to the traditional dairy practices followed in and around Uthukuli for centuries now. As per the Government of India, Intellectual Property India (GI Registry), an application for GI (Geographical Indication) for “Uthukuli Vennai (Butter)” in Class 29 (Food Stuffs) has been applied on 9th April 2024 and is at the Pre-Examination stage.
The unique butter’s characteristics
Besides its good taste, the cultural value of Uthukuli Vennai goes back many years in Tamil Nadu. This particular butter is extensively used in temples and in domestic households and also in South Indian traditional cuisine where it is considered important due to its strong taste and purity. It is mostly eaten with food items such as hot idlis, dosas and pongal and is also used in preparing sweets and festive food items. It is stated in the GI application that the butter has made its name over many decades because of its excellent quality and traditional manufacturing method.As against the large-scale commercial production of butter, Uthukuli butter is prepared on a small scale with locally sourced milk and with traditional churning processes. It has been stated in the GI application states that it does not involve too much of industrial processing thus protecting the natural aroma, creaminess and mildly sour taste of the butter. Another feature of this butter is its pale white to light cream color.The GI (Geographical Indication) application attributes the butter’s distinct identity to a combination of traditional production methods and the geographical conditions of the region. It describes Uthukuli butter as having a non-glossy texture, a mildly sour taste, and a comparatively longer shelf life, qualities that distinguish it from other varieties of butter. It also draws a connection between these attributes and the history of dairy production and the traditional method of butter making in the region.As per the report, butter making is something that has been a part of the culture and economy of Uthukuli for many years now. Traditionally, the families residing here used to turn the extra milk available with them into curd, which was then churned manually into butter. This process slowly gave rise to a dairy industry in this area. Till date, Uthukuli is recognized as one of the major traditional butter producing areas of Tamil Nadu.
