QUẢNG NGÃI — The National Office of Intellectual Property of Việt Nam under the Ministry of Science and Technology has recognised the brand ownership for the products of Lý Sơn Island including garlic, onion, seafood, garlic wine, dried seafood and seaweed.

The director of the Lý Sơn Island Company, Nguyễn Văn Định said the ownership of the trademark would be valied for 10 years.

He said all of the company’s products are grown and produced on the island, 30km off the coast of the central Quảng Ngãi Province.

“It took us three years to complete the application procedure for the trademark recognition. However, it’s the first time that made-in-Lý Sơn seafood and aquaculture products have their own brand nationwide,” Định told Việt Nam News in a phone interview.

“The ownership will be a legal protection of the island’s products and improve the value of aquaculture and farm produce in the Việt Nam market,” he said.

He said many shops and traders have used the Lý Sơn trademark without permission for their products.

Định confirmed that his company has nine official agents in HCM City, Hà Nội, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Cần Thơ, Đắk Lắk, Ninh Bình, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Ngãi and Lý Sơn Island.

Last year, 40 tonnes of Lý Sơn garlic were exported to Thailand.

The company, in co-operation with the island district and the island’s farmers association, plans to produce organic black garlic for export to Japan, the US and Asian countries, as well as producing garlic oil.

Lý Sơn garlic has a distinctive flavour and is in high demand at home and abroad. But this year only 250ha of garlic and onion were planted due to serious drought on the island.

Lý Sơn Island, known as the Kingdom of Garlic in Việt Nam, has 21,000 inhabitants, of whom 73 per cent makes their living from farming garlic and spring onion, and fishing. — VNS