Note on labeling to increase the value of Vinh oranges

It can be seen that due to the influence of hot weather, heavy rain, and orange trees being affected by pests, Nghe An's oranges this yearexcessive hair lossAccording to orange growers in Quy Hop, Con Cuong, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong districts, there has never been a year when oranges fell as much as this year, and not only that, the quality of the oranges is also worse. Therefore, in some localities, although the orange season has not ended, the orange gardens have run out of fruit.

Tan Ky district is a locality located in the region only.Vinh orange geographical indicationLike previous years, orange growers here harvest until the 12th lunar month, but this year it's only October, and the orange gardens have almost all been harvested.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tan Ky district said: Tan Ky's oranges this year were affected by two factors, which are forest moths sucking, along with heavy rain, causing the oranges to be damaged, forcing orange growers to sell quickly. Therefore, by mid-November, most of the orange acreage in the district had run out of fruit. Only 2 orange growers with about 6 hectares in Tan Phu commune kept them to affix traceability stamps, participating in OCOP products. By early December, both of these households began harvesting oranges, affixing traceability stamps to Vinh oranges. Thus, this year, the amount ofVinh orange origin traceability stampIn Tan Ky area, there are very few oranges, while in the district, there are up to 67 hectares of oranges that have been recognized by the authorities as geographical indications for Vinh oranges.

Oranges falling during harvest season causes great losses for orange growers. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Le Viet Minh - Director of the company said: The reason why this year the number of units registering to print traceability stamps for Vinh oranges is low is because the quality of oranges this year is not guaranteed, because the orange trees are infected with pests and the weather is very sunny, rainy, and oranges fall in large numbers.
According to the Nghe An Department of Standards - Metrology - Quality, in October and November this year, 10 companies, cooperatives, and orange growing households in the province registered to print nearly 33,000 traceability stamps to stick on Vinh orange products. Meanwhile, in the same period of October and November 2019, orange production and trading units in the province registered to print nearly 126,000 traceability stamps for Vinh oranges. Thus, the number of traceability stamps for Vinh oranges this year has decreased significantly compared to the 2019 orange crop. Looking at the statistics table of the Provincial Department of Standards - Metrology - Quality, some famous orange production and trading units in Quy Hop district in October and November have not registered to print traceability stamps for Vinh oranges.

Sticking traceability stamps to increase the value of Vinh oranges. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The purpose of affixing Vinh orange origin traceability stamps is to introduce and promote Nghe An's Vinh orange products, and at the same time increase the value of Vinh oranges. Therefore, orange growers need to affix Vinh orange origin traceability stamps if their orange gardens meet the conditions. Given the current situation, the number of Vinh orange origin traceability stamps in recent months has decreased sharply compared to the same period last year, the Department of Science and Technology will conduct a survey to grasp the actual situation in orange areas that have been certified to register geographical indications for Vinh oranges.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung - Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung, it may be due to the impact of this year's floods, causing the oranges to fall prematurely, or this year the oranges ripen late, so people only harvested a lot in December. According to Decision No. 65/2017/QD-UBND of the Provincial People's Committee, organizations and individuals producing oranges that are granted the right to use the geographical indication "Vinh" will be granted a stamp tracing the origin of the geographical indication "Vinh orange".

The traceability stamp code is issued separately for each organization or individual producing oranges in the geographical indication area. The validity period of the traceability stamp code is calculated from the start of orange harvesting until the expiry date of the product.

Since early November, orange growers in Nghe An have begun the main harvest season of Vinh oranges. Photo: Quang An

The origin tracing stamp bearing the geographical indication “Vinh” for orange products is regulated to use the same type of design, image, material, size, information, technological solution and is attached to each orange, packaging containing oranges bearing the geographical indication “Vinh”. Each orange, packaging containing oranges bearing the geographical indication “Vinh” is only affixed with 1 unique origin tracing stamp and ensures its validity (within the shelf life of the orange product).

Organizations and individuals are not allowed to transfer, exchange, buy, sell, erase or modify the information specified on the logo and the origin tracing stamp of oranges bearing the geographical indication "Vinh"; the origin tracing stamp of Vinh oranges must use the protected "Vinh orange" logo on commercial packaging and business signs.