Appellation of origin: economic potential that needs to be accelerated

In it PeruTo date, there are 10 registered denominations of origin: Pisco, Maíz Blanco Gigante Cusco, Chulucanas, Pallar de Ica, Café Villa Rica, Loche de Lambayeque, Café Machu Picchu-Huadquiña, Maca Junín-Pasco, Aceituna de Tacna and Cacao Amazonas Perú (see graph).

Denominations of origin are distinctive signs that recognize and help identify a product associated with a region or geographical area. These can be from natural, agricultural, artisan or industrial characteristics.

“It adds value. It is expected that the consumer will be willing to pay more for a product that has a name due to that link with a place,” Sergio Chuez, director of Distinctive Signs of the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) told La República.

commercial impulse

One of the main benefits of the appellation of origin is economic. through the Peru-European Union Trade Agreement, which entered into force in March 2013, facilitated transactions outside the country. Thus, its costs can increase significantly internationally.

“We have a study where we have analyzed products in the same category and those with a geographical indication are listed twice on the market, there are cases that can sell for three or four times more,” said Carlos Azorín Soriano, leader of the IP Key Latin America project.

In this line, he pointed out that the main countries to which it is exported are the United States and those of Europe, such as Spain, Germany and Belgium.

insufficient progress

Despite having commercial advantages, the last denomination to register was 8 years ago (Amazonas Peru cacao), in 2016. In addition, only three —Pisco, Chulucanas and Café Villa Rica— out of the ten have regulations for use and a regulatory council, which are the entities in charge of managing and administering the products.

This makes it difficult for producers or businessmen belonging to the category of products with denominations to be able to register to use and have the respective commercial rights.

In this sense, Chuez points out that it is necessary to work on strengthening the associativity, “it does not help us much to declare denominations, if in the end they do not bring concrete and real benefits to the producers and their communities,” he added.

stagnant processes

Added to this is the fact that some processes have remained unfinished, such as the case of Quinoa Negra-Collana, which is produced in 37 districts of 8 provinces in the Puno region and was to be the first variety of cereal with a designation of origin in Peru.

The process began in August 2022 and according to the information provided by Indecopi to this medium, the request fell into “abandonment” because “they did not comply with various aspects” required.

It should be noted that in order to register a denomination, the standards indicated in the Single text of Administrative Procedures (YOUR DAD).

It can be carried out by persons or organizations that are directly engaged in the extraction or processing of the designated object. State, regional, departmental and municipal authorities can also do so.

Oregano from Tacna and salt from Maras

Being a country with such diversity, it is expected that recognition will increase in the following years. “Peru has great growth potential, in a few years it would not be risky to say that it will have 50 appellations of originAzorin added.

Currently, there is a procedure underway for eventual recognition of Tacna Oregano. Similarly, Indecopi is working, together with the Swiss Cooperation, to implement the salt of maras.

Chuez points out that although there is still no application submitted, for some years the strengthening of the associativity with more than 600 salt producers.

Requirements to register an appellation of origin

According to indecopithose products that seek to be included as a denomination of origin must be produced associatively by more than one producer and have a collective nature.

There must also be a direct relationship between the form of production and geography. The application must include the denomination of origin with which the product is designated, the characteristics and manufacturing process, the delimitation of the geographical area to which it is linked and the verification and control mechanisms.

keys

Andean Community. Colombia has 27 registered denominations, Ecuador maintains 7 and Bolivia has 2.

costs. The right to process a request for protection of appellation of origin amounts to S/443.75. While the value for authorization to use the appellation of origin is S/117.15.