Five More Local Products Set to be Given Special Geographical Status

Five More Local Products Set to be Given Special Geographical Status

Five more products are set to be awarded Geographical Indication (GI) status in a move to build market confidence in them.

The Ministry of Commerce, working on GI registration, said they are Cambodian oranges, Kampot salt, golden silk, organic rice, and Ambok (pounded rice).

The ministry’s spokesman Seang Thay said it is accelerating GI registration for the five prioritized products within this year.

“The ministry is discussing with farmers and relevant associations to collect relevant information. Our target is to make registration in 2020,” Seang said.

“The registration of a Geographical Indication status is a benefit to products because it builds confidence among consumers of products in the market by supplying their origin and particularly to avoid any cheating over brand names,” Seang added.

In October 2019, the ministry launched the collective trademark of Phnom Penh Kouteav, a famous noodle dish typically eaten for breakfast.

The rice brand Malys Angkor was also granted geographical indication (GI) marks, along with Koh Trung Pomelo in Kratie province, Kampot Pepper in Kampot province and Kampong Speu Palm Sugar in Kampong Spue and Kandal provinces.

Op Rady, director of the ministry’s department of intellectual property, told Khmer Times that the preparation for registering a product needs time and a budget to process it.

The ministry is working closely to help producers of the selected products to register but, at the same time, the process may need financial help from development partners, Op said.

However, Thay said the registration of the five products would make happened this year.

“We set a target for five products but if three or four of them are awarded GI status, it is a success for us,” Seang said.