Building brands for Vietnamese agricultural products associated with geographical indication protection has become an important direction to enhance value and affirm brands for Vietnamese specialty products in the world domestic and international markets.
Geographical indications are considered an effective tool to promote the export of Vietnamese agricultural products abroad.
Vietnamese brands are affirmed in many demanding markets
On June 3, 2024, the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology) issued Decision No. 438/QD-SHTT on granting Geographical Indication Registration Certificate No. 00139 for Ben Tre clam products . Ben Tre Department of Science and Technology is the unit managing this geographical indication. Ben Tre clams include: Fresh clams, frozen steamed whole clams and frozen steamed clam meat.
Ben Tre clams have their characteristics and reputation thanks to natural conditions and the absence of winter, so the water temperature does not have large temperature fluctuations between days of the month and between months of the year. Ben Tre has a geographical location with many tidal flats near the river mouth, flat terrain, no direct flow of fresh water, low tide time per day is from 6 to 8 hours. The percentage of sand in the bottom of the beach is over 90%, the percentage of mud is less than 10%, belonging to the mangrove ecosystem, with abundant and abundant plankton species that are a year-round food source for clams, thanks to which meat Clams in Ben Tre have high nutritional content.
In particular, Ben Tre has a semi-diurnal tidal regime (2 high tides and 2 low tides per day), so the drying time (shallow water) is short and less affected by storms, so Ben Tre clams have good health. good, the veins grow evenly.
Ben Tre fresh clams have a white, ivory white shell color, with even spacing between veins. Frozen steamed whole clams have white, opaque flesh. Frozen steamed clam meat is white or ivory white. Frozen steamed whole clams and frozen steamed clam meat have a fragrant, odorless odor.
Director of Ben Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Doan Van Danh said that Vietnam has many clam farming areas, but by 2022, only “Ben Tre Clams” will be granted MSC Certification. Ben Tre clams are the first product of Vietnam, also the first seafood product of Southeast Asia to be granted MSC Certification by the Marine Stewardship Council to “a fishery unit” operating sustainable exploitation of natural aquatic resources. This certificate is valid from May 23, 2024 – May 22, 2029.
This is the third time Ben Tre clam management and exploitation profession has achieved this certification. MSC certification along with Ben Tre clams being granted a Geographical Indication Registration Certificate will help Ben Tre clam products expand exports to demanding export markets such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan. Version… in the near future.
Open up export markets
Geographical indications affirm local advantages in developing and promoting products, enhancing the economic value of specialty agricultural products. In addition, maintaining the quality of products bearing geographical indications is considered an important tool to ensure product quality for consumers. Geographical indications not only bring higher value to agricultural products in the domestic market but also boost exports.
Typically, Luc Ngan lychee (Bac Giang), from where people could only sell it for less than 10,000 VND/kg, now has an average consumption price of more than 35,000 VND/kg. Geographical indications are also like a “passport” for Vietnamese lychees to penetrate many demanding markets such as Australia, France, the United States, Japan…
After being granted geographical indications, in 2020, Vietnam had the first batches of Luc Ngan and Bac Giang lychees exported to Japan with protected geographical indications in this market. This is a step forward in intellectual property development. To be protected as a geographical indication, the products must have a reputation, quality or characteristic that is mainly due to geographical conditions, so that products with protected geographical indications are more prominent, even is more valuable than similar products on the market. On the other hand, the application of geographical indication protection also helps prevent and combat acts of producing and trading counterfeit and poor quality goods, causing loss of value and reputation of products bearing geographical indications physical.
Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, Deputy Director of the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology), said that the protection of certified geographical indications in fact has the effect of increasing the value and reputation of many products. Products. Typically, Meo Vac mint honey (Ha Giang) after being protected by geographical indications, controlling origin, quality, and promotion, the product’s price has nearly doubled.
Similarly, Phu Quoc fish sauce increased in price by 30-50%, Phuc Trach grapefruit increased by 30-35%, Cao Phong oranges and Vinh oranges also increased in price by more than 50% after receiving geographical indication protection. In particular, a number of products labeled with geographical indications have also been promoted for export and protected by geographical indications abroad such as: Binh Thuan dragon fruit, Luc Ngan lychee (Bac Giang)… This is also is a driving force for people to promote production, improve product quality, and expand trade scale. Therefore, geographical indications are an effective tool to promote the export of Vietnamese agricultural products abroad.
Also according to Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, the special feature of the commitment on geographical indications under the Vietnam – European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is in addition to the commitment on criteria related to the registration system. geographical indications, the parties also commit to protecting each other a list of geographical indications including 169 EU geographical indications protected in Vietnam and 39 Vietnamese geographical indications protected in the EU.
The level of protection afforded to these geographical indications corresponds to the level of protection afforded only to wines and spirits in the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). as well as the current Intellectual Property Law. Therefore, the signing and implementation of the EVFTA Agreement will bring opportunities for many Vietnamese businesses when 39 Vietnamese geographical indications (mostly agricultural products) are automatically protected in the EU – the export market. important password with 28 members.
This not only ensures the rights to geographical indications for Vietnamese agricultural products, which have long been present in the EU market, but also opens up market access opportunities for other specialties that have been granted indications geography.