Binh Thuan dragon fruit receives the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) certificate of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. (photo: VNA)

In 2006 the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam registered the origin of goods for Binh Thuan dragon fruit. The Binh Thuan provincial People’s Committee issued a Decision on the management and use of Binh Thuan dragon fruit’s geographical indication.

Văn Công Thới, Director of the Binh Thuan provincial Department of Science and Technology, said Binh Thuan dragon fruit’s application for Protected Geographical Indication faced various difficulties to prove its production history.  

“Japan’s Food Industry Department and the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam have signed an agreement. They have registered geographical indication certification for Japanese beef, persimmons, and salmon. They will certify three Vietnamese products – Luc Ngan litchi, Binh Thuan dragon fruit, and Buon ma Thuot coffee.”

Japan’s geographical indication certificate for Binh Thuan dragon fruit is of great importance, opening up more opportunities for export. It proves the importance of intellectual property rights as a tool to increase a product’s competitiveness.

 Ta Quang Minh, Director of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Research Institute, said: “Registration abroad is very important to protect our foothold in foreign markets. Our work is to instruct and help localities to register intellectual property rights for their specialties, inside Vietnam and in foreign market.”