Thailand has successfully registered geographical indication (GI) for Lamphun golden dried longan in Vietnam, increasing the number of Thai products with GI registration in foreign countries to eight.
According to Deputy Commerce Minister Sinit Lertkrai, Vietnam announced the successful GI registration in August.
The Commerce Ministry hopes the registration will increase Thai longan exports to Vietnam because it offers quality assurance to consumers, ultimately raising income for Thai farmers, he said.
GI is a distinctive certificate used to identify a product as originating in the territory of a particular country, region or locality that has unique characteristics or qualities, which can increase market value in developed countries.
There are 161 GI-registered products covering all 77 provinces nationwide in Thailand.
There are eight Thai products with GI registration in foreign countries, including Lamphun golden dried longan.
The others are Thung Kula Rong Hai hom mali rice, Doi Chaang coffee, Doi Tung coffee and Sangyod Muang Phatthalung rice in the EU; indigenous Isan silk yarn in Vietnam; Lamphun brocade silk in India and Indonesia; and Phetchabun sweet tamarind and Doi Tung coffee in Cambodia.
Thai GI products being considered for registration in foreign markets include Thung Kula Rong Hai hom mali rice, Pakpanang Tab Tim Siam pomelo and Phetchabun sweet tamarind in China; Doi Tung coffee, Doi Chaang coffee, Phetchabun sweet tamarind and Huay Mon pineapples in Japan; and Thung Kula Rong Hai hom mali rice and Sangyod Muang Phatthalung rice in Indonesia.
Thailand submitted in August GI applications in Europe for wine made in Khao Yai to increase wine exports.
Four Khao Yai wineries registered for certification: GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, Village Farm, J&J Vineyard and Alcidini.
According to Mr Sinit, the Intellectual Property Department remains committed to promoting the registration of Thai GI products abroad, especially food and agricultural products that are considered the key to soft power that helps attract tourists to the country and creates sustainable jobs and income for farmers and local entrepreneurs.
Earlier in August, Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, director-general of the Intellectual Property Department, said the Commerce Ministry aims to raise sales of GI products including exports to more than 42 billion baht this year, up from 39 billion in 2021.
The department set a goal to approve the registration of 22 new GI products this year, 19 of which were registered in the first half of the year.