Quang Ngai (VNS/VNA) - The masstrade of imitation products and a lack of Geographical Indication (GI) are seenas major reasons behind falling prices for Ly Son garlic, the product known asthe ‘King of Garlic.’

Vice Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Ly Son district, the centralprovince of Quang Ngai Pham Thi Huong said the market connection between theisland and mainland remained poor.

She said one kilogramme of garlic on the island was now being sold for just 25,000VND (1.1 USD) to 30,000 VND (1.3 USD), while more than 100 tonnes of garlicwere in stock.

Typically, Ly Son garlic is priced at 60,000 VND (2.6 USD) for a fresh kilo or 150,000VND (6.6 USD) for a dried kilo, but this year prices are much lower.

She said the price was the lowest seen in the past few decades – only half ofthe cost of production.

“Fake brands disguised as Ly Son garlic at stores on the mainland have impactedthe price of the original product,” Hương said. “The district has beencompleting the procedure for GI recognition to stop imitation garlic andassociated price decreases.”

“Some companies and dealers have voluntarily agreed to buy garlic at 40,000 VND(1.8 USD) per kilo to support local farmers,” Huong said.

She said garlic in the district saw a bumper harvest, producing 2,700 tonnes – a104 percent growth.

Garlic could be in stock for nine months, so the surplus had forced the pricedown, she said.

Farmers in the district had gathered to form a cooperative for bettermanagement and sales, she said.

Nguyen Van Dinh, Vice Chairman of the cooperative said he, along with otherlocal farmers, had been working on an organic garlic farm to create stableprices around 90,000 VND (nearly 4 USD) per kilo.

He said the deal between businesses and local farmers would stabilise thegarlic market and improve quality.

Dinh said the Ly Son garlic brand must be protected by adding QR codes on thepackaging and GI recognition to help buyers recognise the original brand.

Last year, the island district asked I Am V, a company from HCM City, todismantle banners that falsely advertised ‘Ly Son garlic products’ on the Sharktank Vietnam TV show.

Many shops and traders have used the Ly Son trademark without permission,according to the Quang Ngai provincial Department of Trade and Industry.

Some farmers transported their garlic plants harvested in a district in theprovince of Khanh Hoa to sell on Ly Son Island. Tourists and visitors areunable to recognise the original Ly Son garlic. Fake garlic was often packagedwithout any label or certificate of origin.

In 2007, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam under theMinistry of Science and Technology recognised the brand ownership of productsfrom Ly Son Island including garlic, onions, seafood, garlic wine and seaweedfor 50 households on the island.

Ly Son Island has been building a Geographical Indication (GI) for its productsand more than 100 members of the Ly Son Garlic Association.

The island, known as the ’Kingdom of Garlic’ in Vietnam, has 21,000inhabitants, of whom 73 percent make their living from farming garlic andspring onions or fishing.-VNS/VNA