Building is hard, keeping is harder

In agricultural production for some crops (fruit trees), the construction and recognition of collective trademarks is a long and difficult process with unique characteristics in each product to create a distinct identity when consumers talk about a product with a recognized trademark, they immediately know what product it is. For collective trademarks on fruit trees in Tra Vinh, the Intellectual Property Office (Ministry of Science and Technology) has recognized Long Tri tangerine, Cang Long district (recognized in 2008), Hoa Tan wax coconut (recognized in 2011 and Tan Qui mangosteen, Cau Ke district (recognized in 2008)...

According to our records, currently 02/03 products (fruits) have expired (after 10 years from the date of recognition) and have lost their trademarks; in which there is 01 fruit product, "Long Tri Tangerine", which was successfully registered as a collective trademark by a locality outside the province.

Nguyen Van Nguyen's garden house, Long Tri hamlet, Binh Phu commune, next to the famous tangerine garden with the brand name "Long Tri tangerine" in the past.

Gardener Nguyen Van Nguyen, a member of Thuan Phu Tangerine Cooperative (Binh Phu Commune, Cang Long District) said: his family has 1 hectare of tangerine cultivation and since 2019, the family has renovated and replanted the entire area of the tangerine garden that is over 20 years old. This is the second year that the tangerine garden has had a stable yield and each crop brings in over 100 million VND in income.

Also according to gardener Nguyen Van Nguyen, in the past when talking about Long Tri tangerine, everyone knew about the place name Long Tri associated with the birth and development of tangerine trees. Currently, there is no longer the brand name "Long Tri tangerine"; with the construction and establishment of a new brand name for Binh Phu tangerine (formerly the collective brand name Long Tri tangerine), he himself hopes that the Cooperative will promote and enhance the value of tangerine trees; to create conditions for tangerine gardeners to develop further.

Through an exchange with us, comrade Huynh Trung Giang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Phu Commune, Cang Long District, informed: currently, the "Long Tri Tangerine" brand no longer exists because after the protection period has expired, the beneficiary unit did not apply for re-recognition; this is a great loss for gardeners as well as the brand that has been trusted and known by consumers through the "Long Tri Tangerine" brand. With the new brand being implemented, it will help gardeners bring tangerine trees further. The whole commune currently has 25 hectares of tangerine, mainly grown in Long Tri hamlet; in the coming time, the commune will also plan to add 12 hectares of tangerine to grow in Phu Duc hamlet.

Regarding the collective brand of Tan Qui Mangosteen (An Phu Tan commune, Cau Ke district), it was recognized by the Department of Intellectual Property in 2008 and the management and beneficiary unit: Tan Thanh Cooperative (now dissolved); it has been over 04 years since it expired.

According to Ms. Dong Thi Mai Linh, Director of Tan Qui Cooperative (An Phu Tan commune): for Tan Qui island, when it comes to mangosteen, durian and rambutan, customers inside and outside the province confirm that the quality is far superior to other localities, such as sweetness, fruit appearance...

The collective trademark “Tan Qui Mangosteen” was previously managed by Tan Thanh Cooperative, but after a period of ineffective operation and spending a sum of money to re-accredit (after 10 years) it was not implemented. Also according to Ms. Dong Thi Mai Linh, for the role of a new cooperative like Tan Qui Cooperative now, it is necessary to build a number of brands for fruit products for Tan Qui Islet. Identifying and building a brand for a product is difficult and maintaining and promoting that brand in commercial activities is even more difficult; it requires a business development strategy, effectively taking advantage of the brand that has been affirmed by customers through the established brand to bring the product further.

Hoa Tan gardeners, Cau Ke district are excited next to their wax coconut garden, the product continues to have the Collective Trademark "Hoa Tan Wax Coconut" extended until 2031.

On April 28, 2011, the Intellectual Property Office recognized the Hoa Tan Wax Coconut trademark (Decision No. 55156/QD-SHTT) and it is valid for 10 years. Although the wax coconut tree has gone through many ups and downs due to the market economy, the production of the gardeners with the specialty fruit (wax coconut) has encountered many difficulties. Through the role of the Hoa Tan Wax Coconut Cooperative and the management unit, the beneficiary of the Hoa Tan Wax Coconut trademark has not hesitated to maintain operational efficiency and create a chain of links between gardeners - cooperatives - enterprises, and facilities purchasing and processing wax coconut.

In Cau Ke district, there are about 780 hectares of wax coconut, of which Hoa Tan commune alone has over 425 hectares. Of these, Hoa Tan Wax Coconut Cooperative (43 members, total area of 32 hectares of wax coconut) achieved 4-star OCOP certification for wax coconut products.

Mr. Nguyen Van Su, Director of Hoa Tan Wax Coconut Cooperative, said: the Hoa Tan Wax Coconut brand has been successfully built and recognized by the province and district. This is the joy and effort of gardeners in general and wax coconut growers in Hoa Tan in particular. Therefore, no matter what the circumstances, when the brand is assigned to the beneficiary, it must be determined to maintain and promote it.

Recently, with funding from the Cooperative, the procedure for registering to extend the collective trademark of Hoa Tan Wax Coconut has been completed; the extension period is extended to April 28, 2031 (Certificate No. 192703, according to Decision No. 22099/QD-SHTT, dated March 19, 2021).

Article and photos: HUU HUE

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