Recently, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has just announced that Luc Ngan litchi (Bac Giang) has protected geographical indications in Japan.

This is the first product of Vietnam to be officially protected geographical indications in this market, opening up new opportunities for the export and consumption of Vietnamese lychee in many other markets.

The geographical indication of Luc Ngan lychee protected, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam supported Bac Giang province to register for protection in Japan, not only "on paper" but before Officially protected geographical indications in Japan, Japan has sent a delegation of experts to Vietnam to assess from growing areas, soil, quality and etc.

Before registering for protection in order to "promptly" bring lychees to Japan, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam cooperated with the Bac Giang Department of Science and Technology to search for laboratories capable of analyzing criteria and evaluating indicators requested by the Japanese side, so that the geographical indication of lychee can be protected in Japan in the  season of litchi 2021.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Bay, Deputy Director of theNational Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam (Ministry of Science and Technology), geographical indications are synonymous with passport and important for Luc Ngan lychee products to enter the Japanese market. Due to in the past, in order for this product to enter the Japanese market, there were many stages and processes of quality control, food hygiene and safety.

Previously, in 2008, Luc Ngan lychee was protected geographical indications in Vietnam and also protected geographical indications in Europe after the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) took effect in 2020.

It is known that along with Luc Ngan litchi, two other agricultural products of Vietnam, Buon Me Thuot coffee and Binh Thuan dragon fruit, are also being supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology to register geographical indications in Japan.