A GI indicates quality food products or handicrafts as originating in a territory where a given quality and reputation or other unique characteristics of the goods linked to provenance, including raw materials or the methods of production used.
Khao Kai Noi Rice from Houaphan and Xieng Khouang provinces was the first product to receive a GI in Lao PDR. In 2020, the list of Lao GI was joined by Komaen tea (from Phongsaly province), as well as tea and coffee from Paksong (Champasak province) and silks from Luang Prabang and from Houaphanh provinces.
These GIs can now benefit both producers and consumers. They bring together superior quality along with the preservation of biodiversity and traditional landscapes, local heritage, and production methods passed down over generations. This reputation typically translates into prices 20 to 50 percent higher than comparable non-GI products.
These Lao GI’s are already drawing interest and trade. Mr. Diem, a silk producer of the Luang Prabang Silk Promotion Association, has seen an increase of sales of about 67 percent despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Mr. Senthong, a tea producer member of the Paksong Tea Promotion Association, confirms that the registration of tea as a GI has cemented their reputation and opened new market opportunities.
Continued reading The Laotian Time
