Workers process cashew kernels (Photo: VNA)
Binh Phuoc (VNA) – Specialists and relevant agencies of southern Binh Phuoc province are working to develop geographical indications (GIs) for local cashew products, ultimately raising the goods’ competitiveness in foreign markets.
The work is being carried out under a project on supporting GI development in Vietnam.
The project, by the National Office of Intellectual Property, is implemented at a total cost of over 1.35 million USD, including 1.09 million USD in official development assistance funded by the French Government. The remaining sum is being covered by Vietnam.
The project’s specialists found that although Binh Phuoc’s cashew products are not renowned in international markets yet, local soil and climate conditions are very favourable for large-scale cashew cultivation.
Forty-four cashew processing companies in the province have been recognised as meeting ISO standards. The quality of local cashew nuts is also much higher than that of those hailing from other Vietnamese localities.
The specialists said these are optimal conditions for developing GIs for Binh Phuoc’s cashew products.
At a meeting on March 9, representatives of State agencies, businesses and farmers pointed out an array of problems in building cashew GIs such as how to help companies work with farmers to create large-scale, stable growing areas to ensure material supplies; or how to enhance cooperation among cashew processors who always compete with one another.
Another concern is that companies might source cashews from other localities to process and label their products with the Binh Phuoc origin.
Le Thi Anh Tuyet, Director of the province’s agriculture and fisheries promotion centre, underlined the role of enterprises for successful GI development. It is necessary to make firms realise that they have to join hands in building brands, if they want the local cashew industry to enter global markets.
Binh Phuoc has 134,000 hectares of cashew which yields 190,000 tonnes of nuts annually, with an average productivity of 1.4 tonnes per hectare.-VNA
