December 14, 2016 | 21:06 (GMT+7)
Seminar promotes GI development for Binh Thuan dragon fruit
Measures on sustainable development of geographical indication (GI) for the dragon fruit – a fruit specialty of the southern central province of Binh Thuan, were the main focuses of a seminar in the locality on December 13.
Participants discussed issues related to the GI system for Binh Thuan dragon fruits and difficulties facing the locality in effectively managing the system.
Director of the provincial Department of Science and Technology said the locality’s relevant sectors has paid due attention to raising public awareness of the importance of intellectual property protection for the Binh Thuan dragon fruit trademark, contributing to improving the prestige of this product in the market.
A total of 85 local organizations and individuals have been so far granted GI protection for their dragon fruits with a combined area of 2,300 hectares. Up to now, 12 countries and territories worldwide have agreed to protect GI for Binh Thuan dragon fruits, including the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and Japan.
Participants stressed the need to build a strategy to promote GI registered products in domestic market and potential markets.
The local authorities should build a dragon fruit production value chain.
Binh Thuan boasts 26,500 ha of dragon fruit-farming land, producing about 500,000 tons per year. Up to 80 percent of the volume is sold abroad, mainly in China, the US, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.
Source: VNA