Potatoes from Da Lat will have a new logo and brand that will make it more difficult for traders to sell cheaper Chinese potatoes under the name of Da Lat. (Photo: tuoitre.vn)Lam Dong (VNA) – The CentralHighlands province of Lam Dong has approved a programme to build Da Latpotato brand to prevent farmers from selling cheap Chinese potatoes disguisedas potatoes from Da Lat, which are more expensive.
In the near future, the province plans to spendaround 1 billion VND (44,000 USD) to print around 200,000 packages that will beprovided during a pilot run to several Da Lat potato farmers and businesses. Around 700 tonnes of potatoes will be packaged in 2and 5 kilo packages.
The packages will feature the logos of the Da Latbrand (the provincial brand for produce and products made in Da Lat), and willbe designed in ways that make it difficult to imitate. This will help customerstell the difference between the two types of potato.
Traders often import cheap potatoes from China,cover them with red dust, and sell them as Da Lat potatoes, which are four tofive times more expensive, and are regarded as having higher quality thanChinese potatoes.
Nguyen Hong Phong, Director of the Phong ThuyAgriculture Manufacturer and Trade Ltd, said that while Da Lat’s potato outputis relatively high, its supply can fall during the rainy season, so sometraders import Chinese potatoes and sell them as Da Lat potatoes.
During transportation, inspections and otherprocedures, the fake Da Lat potatoes are registered and referred to as Chinesepotatoes. Many customers in other provinces and some in DaLat fell for this trick, since it is hard to point out fake Da Lat potatoeswithout careful examination.
Tran Huu Tho, a potato farmer, said that he looksforward to be part of the branding programme because he believes customersmight one day reject the Da Lat potato due to fraud.
After the programme takes effect, individuals andorganisations who package Chinese potatoes as Da Lat potatoes will bedisciplined and charged with fraud.-VNA
VNA
