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“Quảng Trị” has been registered as  geographical indication (GI) for pepper by Geographical Indication Registration Certificate No. 00045  attached to Decision No.3875/QD-SHTT dated 28.10.2014 of  Director General of the National Office of Intellectual Property. As stipulated in this Decision, the GI product which is including black and white pepper are from  geographical areasof Hồ Xá town and  3communes, namely Vĩnh Hiền, Vĩnh Hòa, Vĩnh Nam of Vĩnh Linh district, Quảng Trị province. 

Under framework of Project “Promotion of Development of Geographical Indications in VietNam” sponsored by Government of France through the French Development Agency, GI “Quảng Trị pepper” was  one two selected subjects for the research to enhanceefficiency of GI registration and management system based on experiences of Europe, particularly of the French Republic.Thus, on 06.09.2017, theDepartment of Science and Technology of Quảng Trị Province filed request to amend GI Registration Certificate No. 00045 regarding  types, characteristics and peculiarity of products to further emphasize  differences between products bearing GI and  same productsfrom other areas, as well as expanding  relatedgeographical area. On 13.04.2018, Director General of the National Office of Intellectual Property  issued DecisionNo. 1076/QD-SHTT on Amendments of Geographical Indication Registration Certificate No. 00045. This Decision replacedDecision No. 3875/QD-SHTT dated 28.10.2014 of Director General of the National Office of Intellectual Property on Registration ofgeographical indication “Quảng Trị” for pepper. 

Pepper trees were brought to Quảng Trị by the French in the late 19^th – early 20^th century and has been continuously grown since 1940 up to now. Regarding productivity, Quảng Trị province has no advantage for growing pepper. However, history has proven the “extraordinary value” of Quảng Trị pepper. As shown in documents published in early 20^thcentury Quảng Trị pepper had been commercialized in VietNam and exported to France, Singapore, and Hong Kong via Sài Gòn Port. Quảng Trị, despite being not as great of a production site of pepper as others, such as Bình Phước, Đắk Nông, Đắk Lắk, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, etc., is highly ratedby pepper exporters, and is well-knowndomestically and internationally. Quảng Trị pepper is highly appreciated by foreign traders and is often called “black gold”. 

Pepper trees are grown in several districts, mainly at Vĩnh Linh, Cam Lộ, Gio Linh and Hướng Hóa, of Quảng Trị province covering  anarea  of over2000 hectares. Pepper grown inthese districts having similar quality as GI registered in accordance with Decision No. 3875/QD-SHTT. Request for amendments of the Geographical Indication Registration Certificate No. 00045 of Quảng Trị Department of Science and Technology aimed at diversifying productvarieties, expanding certaingeographical area to facilitate commercialization of the productsand create value-addeddifferencesto ordinary products. 

“Quảng Trị” pepper seeds are small and firm, has a strong scent and spicy taste. Pepper products bearing “Quảng Trị” GI are including black pepper, white pepper and pepper powder. 

Quảng Trị pepper is consistently roundwith 3 - 5 mmdiameter. Black pepper has relatively smooth skin with density of 517 g/l or higher, humidity of 12% or lower, piperine content of 6,4 % or higher, evaporable essential oil of 2,6 % or higher. White pepper has  density of 627g/l or higher, humidity of 11.5% or lower, piperine content of 7.09% or higher, evaporable essential oil of 1.7% or higher. Although Quảng Trị pepper’s diameter is lower than other products of the same kind,  its density and piperine content  arehigher, and its aroma is stronger. Quảng Trị powder pepper is grinded from Quảng Trị black and white pepper seeds of various sizesin comply withquality standards as prescribed of Quảng Trị black pepper and white pepper. 

Reputation and peculiarity of Quảng Trị pepper are thanks to  fundamental difference in climate between the geographical area corresponding to the “Quảng Trị pepper” GI and other pepper-growing areas. Most of the pepper-growing areas of Viet Nam have equatorial tropical climate, which is regarded by researchers as suiting to the requirements of pepper trees. On the other hand, pepper trees of Quảng Trị are under the influence of tropical monsoon climate, with the two main monsoons are the Southwestern and Northeastern. This particular natural condition causes a fact that productivity of Quảng Trị pepper only equals to approximately 50% of other areas’, but its quality is vastly superior. The high amplitude of temperature variation between day and night of 7 - 10^oC is a favourable condition for creating the strong aroma and spiciness of the pepper. Annual rainfall in the area is 2,000 - 2,800 mm, but it is not evenly distributed during the rain season from September to November,and after that it is followedby  along draughts. Annual total hours of sunlight is 1,840 - 1,910 hours, with highest months arefromApril to June. Such period  is suitable  for fruition and ripe. Therefore, the density of Quảng Trị pepper is higher than other areas’ product. Geographically, the soil is poor with low Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. It is also acidic with pHKCL below 5, soluble Cation content is between 3meq/100g and 5meq/100g, the mechanical component is medium silt to heavy silt. Therefore, pepper in Quảng Trị  is not as productive as other areas’. 

With these specific natural conditions, Quảng Trị farmers, through accumulation of experiences, have come up with a production process to create high quality pepper. Selecting  pepper strain is a unique experience of Quảng Trị farmers. In order to adapt to the harsh climate of Quảng Trị, the farmers have selectedthe domestic strain, with small and medium leaves. Although the light and nutrition absorption of small- and medium-leaf pepper trees are not as good as the big-leaf ones, those treesminimize waterevaporation fromleaves during draught season, and lessen affects of storms and typhoons. The use of pillars to support Quảng Trị pepper trees areal so different  fromother areas. In other areas, usually the pillarsof pepper are made by wood or concrete. In Quảng Trị, the peppers are supported by living trees, as per the traditionin order to avoid effects of Southwestern monsoon during summer time with hightemperature and evaporation rate, and hot and dry weather. 

The geographical areas to grow Quảng Trị pepper: Communes of Cam Chính, Cam Nghĩa and Cam Thành of Cam Lộ district; Gio Linhtown,  andcommunes of Trung Sơn, Gio Phong, Gio An , Gio Bình , Gio Châu , Gio Hòa , Gio Sơn , Hải Thái, Linh Hải , Linh Thượng  and Vĩnh Trường  of Gio Linh district; Hồ Xátown, Bến Quantown, Cửa Tùngtown, and communes of Vĩnh Tú, Vĩnh Chấp, Vĩnh Trung, Vĩnh Kim, Vĩnh Thạch, Vĩnh Long, Vĩnh Nam, Vĩnh Khê, Vĩnh Hòa, Vĩnh Hiền, Vĩnh Thủy, Vĩnh Thành, Vĩnh Tân, Vĩnh Hà, Vĩnh Sơn and Vĩnh Giang of Vĩnh Linh district; Khe Sanhtown, andcommunes of Tân Liên, Hướng Phùn and Tân Lập of Hướng Hóa district, Quảng Trị province. 

Geographical Indication and International Trademark Division