Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Pepper from Kampot of Cambodia may get GI label

October 09, 2007

Pepper from Kampot province is well on the way to becoming the first Cambodian product to get an origin-specific label, which attests to its quality and uniqueness, the Cambodia Daily newspaper reported Tuesday.

A government study has found that among Cambodian products, it comes the closest to fulfilling the criteria required for a Geographical Indications (GI) designation, the newspaper said.

"Kampot pepper meets almost all the requirements needed to become a GI," Van Roth San, intellectual property director at the Commerce Ministry, was quoted as saying.

The next step in the process will involve a geographical indications law to ensure exclusive rights to the Kampot pepper name, and then submitting a requirement application to an international committee for approval, he said.

Meeting GI standards would be a huge boost to the pepper industry, potentially leading to a 40-percent rise in value, he said, adding that pepper currently sells for four dollars per kg at markets.

Source: Xinhua

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