In Brazil, the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) defines a Geographical Indication (GI) as “a product or service originating in a territory or region, when a certain quality, reputation or other characteristic is fundamentally related to its geographical origin.” In short, the idea of GIs is related to a certificate of authenticity for products with their own local aspects.
We currently have 131 GIs registered by INPI and classified into two types: Indication of Origin (IP) and Denomination of Origin (DO). Given its geographical and cultural diversity, Brazil has significant potential for increasing GI registrations and is expected to reach 200 registrations in the next few years. The farming and livestock sector accounts for almost 80% of the total number of registered GIs, which represents Brazil’s regional and cultural plurality, as well as the strength of the country’s most robust and efficient sector.
Aware of the international demand for unique and certified products, Brazilian rural producers see their products registered as a GI as an opportunity to access more selective markets, such as the European one, and expanding markets seeking unique products, such as the Chinese one.
As has been the case in Brazil, China has in recent years continuously strengthened the protection of products with GIs, constantly adjusted and enhanced laws and regulations, reinforced communication and cooperation with the international community, and sought to set a mutually beneficial standard for the GI industry and trade. A case in point was the signing of the agreement between the European Union and China on the protection of GIs in September 2020, which entered into force the following year.
In 2023, China officially had 9,785 GIs in force in its territory, representing the largest number of registrations in the world. Some registered Chinese products are Longjing Tea, also known as “Dragon Well Tea,” produced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province (one of China’s most well-known green teas), and Wuchang Daohuaxiang Rice, aromatic rice produced in Wuchang, Heilongjiang province, renowned for its flavor and texture.
Mutual recognition of GIs among nations protects the exchange of agricultural products through institutional norms and trade flows, allowing them to leverage their respective comparative advantages and achieve healthy and steady growth in bilateral trade in that sector. Trade agreements concerning the protection of GIs yield reciprocal benefits to the trade of their products and ensure their consumers’ access to products of certified quality and origin.
Consumption of GI products in China has grown robustly in recent years, driven by a combination of economic, technological, and cultural factors. The Chinese market has great potential to be explored for products with Brazilian GIs, especially processed ones such as coffees, chocolates, honey, wines, and cachaças.
Seeking to meet the needs of Brazilian rural producers and the purchasing potential of the Chinese market, the CNA Institute in partnership with the Brazilian Industrial Development Agency (ABDI) and the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises (SEBRAE) have developed a platform for controlling, managing, and tracing Brazilian coffees with GIs that allows Chinese consumers to have access in their language (Mandarin) to the main product information, such as: the GI name, relief, altitude, location of the farm, history of the producing family, variety, sensory analysis and coffee score, among other features.
This tool has been available to producers of GI coffees since October 2024 and already has the following figures: 3,363 producers, 4,184 farms, 111 roasters, and 11 laboratories registered; just over 105,000 GI stamps issued for green coffees (60 kg bags) and 557,000 stamps for roasted coffees (250 g packages), an average score of 85.2, according to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) table; and QR-Codes displayed in more than 50 countries. This platform will soon be expanded to encompass cheese and honey chains. It is an opportunity for Brazil to show other countries that the products registered with Brazilian GIs have exclusive control and traceability to meet the standards of the most demanding markets, which appreciate learning about the origin of the products.
CNA Institute:
Matheus Ferreira da Silva – Deputy Executive Director
Marina F. Zimmermann – Technical Advisor