Building brands for Vietnamese agricultural products, linked to geographical indication protection, has become an important direction to enhance the value and affirm the brand of Vietnamese specialty products in domestic and international markets.
Geographical indications are considered an effective tool for promoting the export of Vietnamese agricultural products abroad.
Vietnamese brands are proving themselves in many demanding markets.
On June 3, 2024, the Intellectual Property Office (Ministry of Science and Technology) issued Decision No. 438/QD-SHTT granting Geographical Indication Registration Certificate No. 00139 for Ben Tre clams. The Ben Tre Department of Science and Technology is the managing unit for this geographical indication. Ben Tre clams include: fresh clams, whole steamed and frozen clams, and steamed and frozen clam meat.
Ben Tre clams have gained their unique characteristics and reputation thanks to their natural conditions and the absence of a winter season, resulting in stable water temperatures throughout the month and year. Ben Tre's geographical location features numerous tidal flats near river mouths, flat terrain, and no direct freshwater inflow. The low tide period lasts from 6 to 8 hours. The sand content in the seabed is over 90%, while the mud content is below 10%. Located within a mangrove ecosystem, the abundant and diverse plankton provide a year-round food source for the clams, contributing to their high nutritional value.
In particular, Ben Tre has a semi-diurnal tidal regime (two high tides and two low tides per day), so the time the beaches are exposed (when the water is low) is short, and it is less affected by storms, so Ben Tre clams are in good health and grow evenly.
Fresh clams from Ben Tre have white or off-white shells with evenly spaced growth rings. Whole steamed and frozen clams have white or opaque white flesh. The meat of steamed and frozen clams is white or off-white. Both whole steamed and frozen clams and clam meat have a pleasant aroma and no foul odor.
According to Doan Van Danh, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre province, Vietnam has many clam farming areas, but as of 2022, only "Ben Tre Clams" had been granted MSC certification. Ben Tre Clams is the first product in Vietnam, and also the first seafood product in Southeast Asia, to receive MSC certification from the Marine Stewardship Council for "a fishing entity" that sustainably exploits natural fishery resources. This certification is valid from May 23, 2024 to May 22, 2029.
This is the third time the Ben Tre clam farming and management industry has received this certification. The MSC certification, along with the geographical indication registration certificate for Ben Tre clams, will help expand exports to demanding markets such as the United States, the European Union, and Japan in the future.
According to Mr. Doan Van Danh, in June 2024, the Ben Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will award MSC certificates along with geographical indication certificates for Ben Tre clams to 7 clam harvesting cooperatives in the province; at the same time, introduce the certified clam raw material areas to clam processing businesses; conserve broodstock clam resources, rationally exploit and protect natural clam seed resources.
Opening up export markets
Geographical indications affirm the unique advantages of a locality in developing and promoting products, enhancing the economic value of specialty agricultural products. Furthermore, maintaining the quality of products bearing geographical indications is considered an important tool for ensuring product quality for consumers. Geographical indications not only bring higher value to agricultural products in the domestic market but also boost exports.
For example, Luc Ngan lychees (Bac Giang province), which used to sell for less than 10,000 VND/kg, now fetch an average price of over 35,000 VND/kg. Geographical indications also act as a "passport" for Vietnamese lychees to penetrate many demanding markets such as Australia, France, the United States, and Japan.
Following the granting of geographical indication status, in 2020, Vietnam exported its first shipments of Luc Ngan lychees from Bac Giang to Japan, with the geographical indication protected in that market. This represents a significant step forward in the development of intellectual property. To be protected by a geographical indication, products must possess a reputation, quality, or characteristics primarily derived from geographical conditions, making the protected products stand out and even more valuable than similar products on the market. Furthermore, applying geographical indication protection helps prevent and combat the production and sale of counterfeit and substandard goods, which diminish the value and reputation of products bearing the geographical indication.
Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Property Office (Ministry of Science and Technology), stated that geographical indication protection has proven effective in increasing the value and prestige of many products. For example, Meo Vac peppermint honey (Ha Giang province), after receiving geographical indication protection, and with improved origin, quality, and marketing, has seen its price nearly double.
Similarly, Phu Quoc fish sauce prices increased by 30-50%, Phuc Trach pomelo by 30-35%, and Cao Phong and Vinh oranges by more than 50% after receiving geographical indication protection. Notably, some products bearing geographical indications have seen increased exports and received geographical indication protection abroad, such as Binh Thuan dragon fruit and Luc Ngan lychee (Bac Giang). This also motivates people to boost production, improve product quality, and expand trade scale. Therefore, geographical indications are an effective tool to promote the export of Vietnamese agricultural products abroad.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, a special feature of the geographical indication commitment under the Vietnam-European Union Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is that, in addition to commitments on criteria related to the geographical indication registration system, the parties also commit to protecting each other's 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 for these geographical indications corresponds to the level of protection granted only to wine and spirits under 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 create opportunities for many Vietnamese businesses as 39 Vietnamese geographical indications (mostly agricultural products) will be automatically protected in the EU - an important export market with 28 member states.
This not only ensures the rights to geographical indications used for Vietnamese agricultural products, which have long been present in the EU market, but also opens up market access opportunities for other specialty products that have been granted geographical indications.
According to HL/VNA
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/chi-dan-dia-ly-cong-cu-nang-cao-gia-tri-day-manh-xuat-khau-nong-san-viet/20240615082243022
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