Geographic Indicator Protection Sought for Kampot Durian

Workers unload durian from a truck in front of a shop in Phnom Penh on June 17, 2021. Photo by AFP / TANG CHHIN Sothy

PHNOM PENH  –  Geographic indicator (GI) status is being set up to stop business owners calling imported durian “Kampot durian” which damages the local product’s image and the market.



Teng Vanthoeurn, head of Agriculture and Agricultural Productivity of Kampot provincial department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, said each year importers try to use the Kampot durian name on their products.



The department is pushing hard to establish GI status and the administration will create a QR code to trace the product, which includes the farm and species, and build trust for the consumer.



Vanthoeurn encouraged farmers to mobilize and create a community to create a geographical indication as soon as possible. Currently, the administration has mobilized 67 families.



“Business owners should stop using the Kampot durian name on imported products. They should use the name where it comes from,” he said.



Durian is cheaper this year than last year, dropping to 20,000 riel, about $5, per kilo, Last year it was around 22,000 25000 riel, or $5.50 to $6.25. The cheaper price comes from more imports in the Kampot durian season.



Between 30% and 35% of Kampot durian has been harvested so far. The numbers are the same as last year but the fruit is smaller due to a lack of rain.



 



Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this story was translated by Te Chhaysinh for Cambodianess.


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