Geographical indication helps Binh Thuan dragon fruit conquer foreign markets
The geographical indication (GI) of dragon fruit grown in the south-central province of Binh Thuan has been protected by the European Union (EU), paving the way for the fruit to penetrate major foreign markets.
The trademark “Binh Thuan DRAGON FRUIT” has also been registered and protected by 13 countries and territories, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, Japan, Thailand, and the Republic of Korea.
The GI allows Binh Thuan’s dragon fruit to enjoy better sales domestically and gain stronger footholds in foreign countries. Since 2016, the province has licensed 17 more local producers of dragon fruit to use the GI, raising the total number to 96 to date.
Many dragon fruit cooperatives, such as Thuan Tien, Hoa Le, Hong Son, and Ham Tinh, have been granted Collective Trademark by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam.
As of June this year, Binh Thuan was home to about 32,000 ha of dragon fruit that can generate more than 640,000 tonnes per year.
The province exported around 24,500 tonnes worth over US$28 million between 2016 and 2019. The fruit has not only been shipped to traditional markets such as Taiwan (China), China, and Thailand, but also entered new markets like Germany, the Netherlands, the US, and New Zealand.
The provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is coordinating with the Binh Thuan Dragon Fruit Association to register the GI with Japan to help the fruit obtain broader access to the Japanese market.