The northern mountainous province of Son La held a ceremony on Wednesday to grant a Trademark Registration Certificate to Son La longan, and export a batch of Song Ma - Son La longan to the EU and UK markets.

The province’s total longan growing area is estimated to stretch 19,200 hectares in 2021, with an expected output of 98,500 tonnes, of which 2,200 hectares of longan with an output of nearly 22,000 tonnes are eligible for export, mainly to China, Australia, the US and Europe.

Song Ma District is currently the largest longan granary of Son La Province with over 7,200 hectares, of which nearly 5,900 hectares have been harvested with an output of over 55,800 tonnes, accounting for more than 55 per cent of the province’s total longan yield.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Son La has actively connected with major exporters to select high-quality products for export, thus helping increase the value of Son La longan.

At the ceremony, the National Office of Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Science and Technology handed over a decision to grant the Trademark Registration Certificate to Son La longan, while the provincial Department of Science and Technology awarded certificates of right to use the trademark to 25 cooperatives of Song Ma District.

Representatives of enterprises and cooperatives signed memoranda of understanding on longan production and sale.

Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Hoang Quoc Khanh said that the granting of the Trademark Registration Certificate by the National Office of Intellectual Property is an affirmation of the reputation and quality of the province's agricultural products, contributing to the completion of the legal framework, and creating a solid foundation for the supply of longan to both domestic and foreign markets. — VNS