Monday, May 05, 2008
Cambodia’s New Geographical Indicators
Geographical Indicators are a form of identifying standard which guarantees product comes from a specific place or region, and is increasingly seen as a hallmark of quality. This standards system has now reached Cambodia.
According to H.E. Mr. Mao Thora, undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, six agricultural products have been short-listed for registration under the Geographical Indications standard.
"Palm sugar from Kampong Speu, rice from Battambang, pepper from Kampot, Prahok (fish paste) from Siem Reap, silk from Banteay Meanchey, and Cardamom spice from Pursat," said Thora. "These are geographical indicators of Cambodian goods which are a form of intellectual property the Ministry of Commerce is considering for official registration, in order to facilitate competition in foreign markets."
"We hope at least a few of these products can be registered as geographical indication goods," added Thora
"Geographical Indicators for Cambodian goods is a new concept for protecting intellectual property commodities which the private sector or communities have produced, a mark of culture, tradition, and place of origin. Now because of the technical support, legal training and funds from the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Program, we have been able to identify and determine intellectual property on these six types of products for the first time".
"To meet the necessary requirements for the registration of goods eligible for GI’s status, the Ministry of Commerce needed to finalize a draft law for the Protection of GI’s. This was achieved with financial support from the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Program. This law lays foundations for the implementation of a system by which Cambodian goods can attain similar status internationally," said Thora.
"The draft law was drawn up with the technical support of a team of GI experts. It took over a year of preparatory work, lasting from March 2006 to December 2007. The cost was part of a †500,000 European Intellectual Property Rights technical assistance sponsored by the ECAP II program to Cambodia."
"The country has now reached the stage where Geographical Indicator can be used as an important tool in contributing to rural area development. The benefits are through job creation and income generation for people who live in that GI-specific area, as well contributing to the development of economy as a whole," said Thora. Refael Dochao Moreno, charge d' affaires of the European Union Commission to Cambodia, expressed the importance of defending geographical indicators. "Cambodian products need protection at both national and international levels, through Geographical Indication marks to help producers protect their rights, to boost their identity and to maintain the quality of their products. If the geographical are quickly adopted, it will become an important tool in protecting the knowledge and traditions of communities".
Mr. Prak Sereyvath, managing director of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), said "Cambodia has many specialties which potentially stand to benefit from the GI system. A number of products already enjoy the value-added factor of market notoriety: The exported Battambang rice has a higher selling price in the markets, which depending on the varieties and places where it is marketed, can vary from 10 to 20 percent. Kampot pepper too was priced 50 percent higher than other peppers on the national markets in 2005".
"Kampong Speu palm sugar and Siem Reap’s prahoc (fish paste) are considered the best on national markets, commanding higher prices than standard products. But to date, there has been no legal protection to protect producers and economic partners concerned with these products. Very often, we find that the notoriety of these potential products are used by sellers to sell the same products but from different origins", explained Sereyvath.
"Geographical Indicators is a dedicated tool to protect goods bearing the qualities and reputation linked with their specific geographical origin," he said. "GI products can applied to food products or traditional products with a name everyone associated with place. The list for Cambodian products includes products such as Battambang rice, Kampot pepper, Kampong Speu palm sugar and Prahok from Siem Reap. Products from other countries include Roquefort, Basmati rice, Darjeeling tea, Thai silk, Tequila, and Champagne".
"A product has a ‘specific feature’ which makes it different from other products. It has a distinct appearance, color, flavor, physical or chemical characteristics, particular raw material (silk, sheep’s milk, etc), and is linked to a production territory: This means local features (soil, climate, etc.), historical roots, and the know-how of the producers".
"In regard to what benefits a product when registered as GI", he said, "GI recognition by the WTO is a chance for producers, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas, to protect their know-how and product recognition from frauds."
"GI is different to trademarks, because GI puts the emphasis on the origin of the product. Every producer complying with the requirements of a registered GI product can use the GI name to add value to his product. GI is a protection tool offered to each local producer complying with the GI product requirements, where as a trademark can be used only by the company who owns it," said Sereyvath.
Mr. Jerome Benezech is the CEO of Farm Link Association based in Kampot province, the heart of Cambodian pepper production where regular pepper farming began around 1892 in Kompong Trach district. Mr Benezech said "Kampot pepper is unique and has a flowery taste. The farmers have a special expertise developed over several generations. As a result, Kampot Pepper has been renowned for decades as one of the finest pepper in the world".
"The current Kampot production potential is estimated at 250 tones on 40 hectares annually," said Benezech. "There has been increasing domestic and international demand since 2007 for the Kampot Pepper Farmers’ Associations product … 3 tones in 2007, and more than 10 tones predicted for 2008. It’s a niche market that fetches a price 4 times higher than other peppers: Currently, the 2007 market price is $4/kg", said Benezech.
"Kampot pepper is already marketed as a product of origin. But its lack of guarantee is a risk for both local and export markets. Having Geographical Indication status for Kampot Pepper would provide a guarantee to the product’s origin and limited competition from falsely labeled pepper. It would also increase marketing power in conjunction with increased market demand, increased market access, provide a more fair and stable price and generate increased revenues for the regions farmers".
Mr. Ke Mony, Deputy Secretary General of Khmer Silk Villages, explained there are 700 silk breeders in the northwest of Cambodia, in Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap, and 800 weavers in the South of Cambodia districts of Takeo, Kandal, Kg Cham and Prey Veng.
"We supply silk products to local and international markets, countries such as France and Japan," said Mony.
Mr. Lyaun Hay, Director of CONFIREL, said, "palm sugar made from palm juice using a national artisan manufacturing process, is rich in minerals and trace elements. After cooking and beating, the palm juice provides brown, soft and perfumed sugars. This palm sugar has a perfect smell and taste for pastries, milky deserts and hot drinks".
"The local sale of sugar palm products increased from 1,057.26 kg in 2006 to 6,070.71 kg as of Sept., 2007, while the export of sugar palm products increased from 7,690.4 kg in 2006 to 11,592 kg as of Sept, 2007. The total local and international sale of palm sugar in 2006 was 8,747.66 kg and 17662.71 kg as of Sept., 2007", said Hay.
Mr. Am Phirum, vice chief of Zonification Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, provided the scale of the agriculture. "There are 236,320 hectares of rice fields in Battambang province out of the area’s total of 2,517,095 hectares, and 68 hectares of pepper in Kampot province from a total of 480 hectares; In Kampong Speu, there are 311,132 tree palm trees of the total 3,002,501 palm trees".
"Prahok or fish paste is obtained by crushing and grinding fresh fish after they are de-scaling, gutted and cleaned. They can be crushed underfoot, like wine grapes, or processed by machine. After the fish are crushed, they are placed in the sun for a full day before being salted and sealed in jars full of salt. Prahok can be eaten after just 20 days of fermentation, but better quality Prahok can be preserved for one to three years".
"Cardamom spice is a highly aromatic spice most commonly used in Eastern, Arab, and some Scandinavian cuisines. It has a unique, slightly sweet and savory flavor that allows it to be combined with both sweet and savory dishes. Cardamom seed's ability to enhance such a diverse range food is the reason why it is combined with a wide range of other ingredients. It can be used with seafood and sauces, with meats, poultry, vegetables, and even desserts, pastries, and other baked goods".
"Palm sugar from Kampong Speu, rice from Battambang, pepper from Kampot, Prahok (fish paste) from Siem Reap, silk from Banteay Meanchey, and Cardamom spice from Pursat," said Thora. "These are geographical indicators of Cambodian goods which are a form of intellectual property the Ministry of Commerce is considering for official registration, in order to facilitate competition in foreign markets.""We hope at least a few of these products can be registered as geographical indication goods," added Thora
"Geographical Indicators for Cambodian goods is a new concept for protecting intellectual property commodities which the private sector or communities have produced, a mark of culture, tradition, and place of origin. Now because of the technical support, legal training and funds from the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Program, we have been able to identify and determine intellectual property on these six types of products for the first time".
"To meet the necessary requirements for the registration of goods eligible for GI’s status, the Ministry of Commerce needed to finalize a draft law for the Protection of GI’s. This was achieved with financial support from the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Program. This law lays foundations for the implementation of a system by which Cambodian goods can attain similar status internationally," said Thora.
"The draft law was drawn up with the technical support of a team of GI experts. It took over a year of preparatory work, lasting from March 2006 to December 2007. The cost was part of a †500,000 European Intellectual Property Rights technical assistance sponsored by the ECAP II program to Cambodia."
"The country has now reached the stage where Geographical Indicator can be used as an important tool in contributing to rural area development. The benefits are through job creation and income generation for people who live in that GI-specific area, as well contributing to the development of economy as a whole," said Thora. Refael Dochao Moreno, charge d' affaires of the European Union Commission to Cambodia, expressed the importance of defending geographical indicators. "Cambodian products need protection at both national and international levels, through Geographical Indication marks to help producers protect their rights, to boost their identity and to maintain the quality of their products. If the geographical are quickly adopted, it will become an important tool in protecting the knowledge and traditions of communities".
Mr. Prak Sereyvath, managing director of the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), said "Cambodia has many specialties which potentially stand to benefit from the GI system. A number of products already enjoy the value-added factor of market notoriety: The exported Battambang rice has a higher selling price in the markets, which depending on the varieties and places where it is marketed, can vary from 10 to 20 percent. Kampot pepper too was priced 50 percent higher than other peppers on the national markets in 2005".
"Kampong Speu palm sugar and Siem Reap’s prahoc (fish paste) are considered the best on national markets, commanding higher prices than standard products. But to date, there has been no legal protection to protect producers and economic partners concerned with these products. Very often, we find that the notoriety of these potential products are used by sellers to sell the same products but from different origins", explained Sereyvath.
"Geographical Indicators is a dedicated tool to protect goods bearing the qualities and reputation linked with their specific geographical origin," he said. "GI products can applied to food products or traditional products with a name everyone associated with place. The list for Cambodian products includes products such as Battambang rice, Kampot pepper, Kampong Speu palm sugar and Prahok from Siem Reap. Products from other countries include Roquefort, Basmati rice, Darjeeling tea, Thai silk, Tequila, and Champagne".
"A product has a ‘specific feature’ which makes it different from other products. It has a distinct appearance, color, flavor, physical or chemical characteristics, particular raw material (silk, sheep’s milk, etc), and is linked to a production territory: This means local features (soil, climate, etc.), historical roots, and the know-how of the producers".
"In regard to what benefits a product when registered as GI", he said, "GI recognition by the WTO is a chance for producers, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas, to protect their know-how and product recognition from frauds."
"GI is different to trademarks, because GI puts the emphasis on the origin of the product. Every producer complying with the requirements of a registered GI product can use the GI name to add value to his product. GI is a protection tool offered to each local producer complying with the GI product requirements, where as a trademark can be used only by the company who owns it," said Sereyvath.
Mr. Jerome Benezech is the CEO of Farm Link Association based in Kampot province, the heart of Cambodian pepper production where regular pepper farming began around 1892 in Kompong Trach district. Mr Benezech said "Kampot pepper is unique and has a flowery taste. The farmers have a special expertise developed over several generations. As a result, Kampot Pepper has been renowned for decades as one of the finest pepper in the world".
"The current Kampot production potential is estimated at 250 tones on 40 hectares annually," said Benezech. "There has been increasing domestic and international demand since 2007 for the Kampot Pepper Farmers’ Associations product … 3 tones in 2007, and more than 10 tones predicted for 2008. It’s a niche market that fetches a price 4 times higher than other peppers: Currently, the 2007 market price is $4/kg", said Benezech.
"Kampot pepper is already marketed as a product of origin. But its lack of guarantee is a risk for both local and export markets. Having Geographical Indication status for Kampot Pepper would provide a guarantee to the product’s origin and limited competition from falsely labeled pepper. It would also increase marketing power in conjunction with increased market demand, increased market access, provide a more fair and stable price and generate increased revenues for the regions farmers".
Mr. Ke Mony, Deputy Secretary General of Khmer Silk Villages, explained there are 700 silk breeders in the northwest of Cambodia, in Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap, and 800 weavers in the South of Cambodia districts of Takeo, Kandal, Kg Cham and Prey Veng.
"We supply silk products to local and international markets, countries such as France and Japan," said Mony.
Mr. Lyaun Hay, Director of CONFIREL, said, "palm sugar made from palm juice using a national artisan manufacturing process, is rich in minerals and trace elements. After cooking and beating, the palm juice provides brown, soft and perfumed sugars. This palm sugar has a perfect smell and taste for pastries, milky deserts and hot drinks".
"The local sale of sugar palm products increased from 1,057.26 kg in 2006 to 6,070.71 kg as of Sept., 2007, while the export of sugar palm products increased from 7,690.4 kg in 2006 to 11,592 kg as of Sept, 2007. The total local and international sale of palm sugar in 2006 was 8,747.66 kg and 17662.71 kg as of Sept., 2007", said Hay.
Mr. Am Phirum, vice chief of Zonification Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, provided the scale of the agriculture. "There are 236,320 hectares of rice fields in Battambang province out of the area’s total of 2,517,095 hectares, and 68 hectares of pepper in Kampot province from a total of 480 hectares; In Kampong Speu, there are 311,132 tree palm trees of the total 3,002,501 palm trees".
"Prahok or fish paste is obtained by crushing and grinding fresh fish after they are de-scaling, gutted and cleaned. They can be crushed underfoot, like wine grapes, or processed by machine. After the fish are crushed, they are placed in the sun for a full day before being salted and sealed in jars full of salt. Prahok can be eaten after just 20 days of fermentation, but better quality Prahok can be preserved for one to three years".
"Cardamom spice is a highly aromatic spice most commonly used in Eastern, Arab, and some Scandinavian cuisines. It has a unique, slightly sweet and savory flavor that allows it to be combined with both sweet and savory dishes. Cardamom seed's ability to enhance such a diverse range food is the reason why it is combined with a wide range of other ingredients. It can be used with seafood and sauces, with meats, poultry, vegetables, and even desserts, pastries, and other baked goods".
# posted by FunMan @ 8:25 PM 
