LÂM ĐỒNG — Lâm Đồng People’s Committee has approved a pilot project to promote the Đà Lạt potato brand in an effort to combat Chinese potato, which claimed to be of Đà Lạt brand.

The pilot project, managed by Lâm Đồng’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, includes surveying the potato market and production activities and educating consumers on the difference between the two types of potatoes via flyers, government websites and mass media.

Businesses and individuals will be supplied with packages and carton boxes with the Đà Lạt potato brand logo and anti-counterfeiting stamps, which can be used to package their potatoes.

Lâm Đồng Province aims to produce 65,000 10-kilo carton boxes, 900,000 labels, 65,000 stamps for carton boxes, and 900,000 anti-counterfeit stamps.

The project cost is VNĐ1.06 billion (US$45,800), VNĐ776 million of which are funds from the government budget.

Lâm Đồng’s Plant Protection Department is choosing contractors for the project.

If the pilot project for potatoes is successful, other Đà Lạt vegetables will receive the same treatment.

Đà Lạt City is one of Việt Nam’s largest vegetable producers, with output up to millions of tonnes.

The high quality of these vegetables is due to the favourable weather and use of advanced farming technology and techniques.

However, several businesses are buying Chinese vegetables at lower prices and quality, disguising them as Đà Lạt vegetables and selling them at higher prices.

For instance, Chinese potatoes are bought cheaply, then covered with a layer of red dust to disguise them as Đà Lạt potatoes, which are three to five times higher in value compared to Chinese ones.

During transportation, inspection and other procedures, the fake Đà Lạt potatoes are registered and referred to as Chinese potatoes.

Many customers in other provinces and even some people in Đà Lạt have fallen for this trick since it is hard to point out fake Đà Lạt potatoes without careful examination.

In terms of consumer trust and market prices, Đà Lạt potatoes have suffered greatly from the fraud. Many farmers have had to sell their potatoes at half of their original price, incurring losses. – VNS