Trademark Vietnam Rice. — Photo business.vn

The trademark “Viet Nam Rice” has by now been protected in 22 foreign countries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reported, urging the issuance of a legal document managing the use of the trademark.

Viet Nam has been among the world’s top three rice exporters, together with Thailand and India, for years, the MARD said in a report sent to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday.

According to the MARD, Viet Nam Rice has become a Generic Trademark in 19 countries, including Indonesia, Russia and 17 member states of the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI). It has also been registered as a Certification Trademark in three countries, namely China, Brunei and Norway. The MARD holds the ownership of the trademark in these countries.

It is important to heighten awareness of Vietnamese rice products among exporters, importers, distributors and consumers both at home and overseas, the ministry said. Protection of the trademark also lays a basis for Vietnamese rice to expand its market and increase added value and competitiveness globally, as well as prevent the faking of Vietnamese origin.

Viet Nam must also urgently grant the right to use the trademark to Vietnamese producers and exporters as the trademark will be probably revoked if it is not used by the owner for 3 – 5 years in accordance with regulations of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and laws of some Madrid System member states, it noted.

The ministry proposed the PM to permit it to develop a decree providing a set of procedures for administering the use of Viet Nam Rice. — VNS