Cinnamon tree needs attention to protect geographical indications

Geographical indications and the role of geographical indication protection for agricultural products

The World Trade Organization has adopted the Agreement on Intellectual Property, which stipulates geographical indications as follows: “Geographical Indications is understood as an indication to identify a product originating from the territory of a member country or from a region or geographical area of ​​that country, where the quality, reputation or other characteristics of the product are essentially due to this geographical origin”.

The 2022 Law on Intellectual Property of Vietnam also clearly states: “A geographical indication is a sign used to indicate the geographical origin of a product from a specific region, locality, territory or country”. Accordingly, a geographical indication is understood as a sign used to indicate where the product originates from? For example: Phu Quoc fish sauce, Vinh oranges, Ky Son ginger, Phuc Trach grapefruit,...

Geographical indications are an effective tool in trade promotion, especially for export business. They bring added value, help products penetrate the market and develop quickly and easily thanks to the quality and reputation of products with geographical indications. Moreover, due to the unique characteristics of products with geographical indications, they are better recognized in the market. This makes the implementation of marketing strategies or trade promotion activities much easier and more effective.

In addition to the fact that geographical indications are a tool for regional economic development, community-based economy (because they are often owned by collectives), they also help protect and preserve heritage, traditional indigenous knowledge, support production, business and export of local products. For Quỳ cinnamon, a specialty of Nghe An, the issue of protecting geographical indications needs attention. Recognizing that issue, in the 90s of the last century, a cinnamon planting movement was deployed quite vigorously in Quỳ Châu and Quế Phong districts and reached an area of ​​nearly 1,000 hectares.

However, due to poor seed preparation and limited awareness, at that time, many cinnamon varieties were imported for mass planting, while the native Quỳ cinnamon variety was not given enough attention and breeding to serve production for new planting. On the one hand, due to the low market at harvest time, and partly due to uneven quality (due to many varieties), the output price was low, the efficiency was not high, so after harvesting, people rarely replanted. Cinnamon trees were forgotten for a long time, giving way to acacia trees.

Meanwhile, cinnamon trees are maintained and developed in the Northwestern provinces, especially Yen Bai province. Persistent with indigenous trees, Yen Bai has built and protected the geographical indication of Van Yen cinnamon and has now developed a raw material area of ​​about 100,000 hectares of cinnamon. The large area is an advantage to attract businesses to invest in purchasing and processing cinnamon products. Up to now, Yen Bai province has had 17 businesses investing in processing main products from cinnamon and exporting products to many countries around the world. Cinnamon trees have been purchased and processed without wasting anything, from leaves, branches, bark, wood are all purchased. From there, products such as bark chips, wood panels, wood bars, chopped wood, tablets..., to cinnamon essential oil, cinnamon tubes, cinnamon flutes and cinnamon handicraft products... are produced.

According to the Director of the Cinnamon Processing Cooperative in Van Yen District - Yen Bai, thanks to processing, the revenue of 1 hectare of cinnamon in a 10 - 15 year cycle can reach 600 - 800 million VND.

For sustainable development of cinnamon

Recognizing the significance of native trees, since 2015, the Department of Science and Technology has advised the Provincial People's Committee to include Quỳ cinnamon in the intellectual property program, the program of conservation, exploitation and development of gene funds, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to include cinnamon in the forestry development support policy. On that basis, in 2016, the Department of Science and Technology coordinated with the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve to conduct a survey of the current status of cinnamon varieties in the area to select elite trees, mark and protect them for propagation of native Quỳ cinnamon trees.

Through analysis and comparison, it is shown that the native Quỳ cinnamon tree has superior quality and grows quickly, with fewer pests and diseases than other varieties grown on the land of Phủ Quỳ at the same time. In particular, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve has built a nursery to supply seedlings to the people.

Therefore, after a long period of neglect, the cinnamon tree has begun to recover with a current area of ​​about 600 hectares (mainly concentrated in Que Phong district). With its superiority and current area, the cinnamon tree has all the necessary and sufficient conditions to build and protect geographical indications.

To sustainably develop cinnamon trees, to restore them to their original reputation, to create stable livelihoods and contribute to poverty reduction, it is necessary to pay attention to the following issues:The first,Implement the planning of the cinnamon growing area in Phu Quy land, prioritizing the districts of Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop, (at the same time testing some new places such as Tan Ky, Nghia Dan) where the soil and climate are suitable with a large enough area to attract businesses to invest in processing and exporting. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development coordinates with the People's Committees of the districts to form working groups to implement in key districts. Announce the planning and commit to development to attract businesses to invest in processing facilities, coordinate with businesses to develop raw material areas and seed production facilities.

The Department of Science and Technology coordinates with districts in the cinnamon planting planning area to advise the Provincial People's Committee to build, register for protection, exploit and develop the Geographical Indication of Quỳ cinnamon and products from Quỳ cinnamon. Based on the confirmed indigenous cinnamon gene pool, support and encourage the construction of nurseries to supply enough seedlings according to demand at reasonable prices, avoiding the situation of transferring cinnamon seedlings from other provinces at cheaper prices, affecting Quỳ cinnamon trees.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development assigned the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board to build a seed garden to supply seeds to seed production facilities, and coordinate with districts to inspect and control seed quality and origin...

Monday,Promote propaganda for officials at all levels, businesses and people about the significance and advantages of developing indigenous cinnamon trees to protect the reputation of Quỳ cinnamon products. Guide people on the "dense planting and pruning" cultivation process to strictly follow. Especially approach organic farming to be able to achieve quality certification to enter the high-priced market.

Tuesday,Form small-scale planting and processing cooperatives to support output solutions, cooperate in cultivation to obtain FSC sustainable forest development certification, propose to grant Quỳ cinnamon product area codes, and move towards organic cinnamon growing areas. With the current policy of supporting the development of indigenous trees, it is necessary to prioritize allocating sufficient resources to develop cinnamon trees, avoiding dispersion, fragmentation, and a little for each subject. In addition, it is necessary to direct districts and sectors to prioritize funding sources from national target programs to focus on supporting development.

In addition, doing a good job of security to prevent the phenomenon of cinnamon bark theft causing insecurity for people like some incidents in the past few years. Hopefully, one day in the near future, the once famous Quỳ cinnamon tree will be developed with a new look, diverse and creative products and reach out to countries around the world./.