Bắc Ninh
Intellectual property protection boosts competitiveness of farm produce
BAC NINH - Intellectual property protection is increasingly seen as a key tool to enhance brand recognition and add value to agricultural products in Bac Ninh province, as trade competition and international economic integration intensify. Thanks to proactive measures by government agencies and growing awareness among farmers and businesses, the establishment and management of intellectual property assets linked to local farm produce have recorded positive progress.
Building brands for local specialities
In April 2025, Luc Ngan golden-flesh oranges became the latest agricultural product in the province to receive geographical indication (GI) protection from Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam.
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Kien Lao oranges gain market access after GI protection. |
The certification is viewed as an important milestone, enabling the product to access more structured and large-scale commercial channels.
For Vu Thi Tan, a farmer in Bang Cong village, Kien Lao commune, the GI protection has translated into tangible economic benefits. With more than 12 years of experience growing oranges, Tan said her five-hectare orchard, including 2.5 hectares of golden-flesh oranges, enjoyed both a good harvest and favourable prices this season.
From October onwards, her family has welcomed around 200 visitors per day, rising to more than 500 on weekends. Oranges sold to traders fetch about 25,000 VND per kg, while premium fruit sold directly to tourists is priced at 30,000 VND per kg. Total revenue from golden-flesh oranges this season is estimated at around 3 billion VND (131.616 USD).
Tan’s household also received support in the form of 1,000 QR code labels for traceability and branded packaging boxes, making the product more convenient for tourists to purchase as gifts.
Yen The hill chicken, one of Bac Ninh’s earliest intellectual property protected agricultural products, has demonstrated how branding can open access to larger markets. Protected since 2009 under a certification trademark, the product is now available in major supermarket chains such as WinMart and GO!, commanding higher economic value.
The cooperative currently offers 10 processed products made from Yen The hill chicken, all certified under the national OCOP (One Commune One Product) programme, including salt-baked chicken, soy sauce-marinated chicken and dried chicken with kaffir lime leaves.
It operates a distribution network of 15 agents across seven provinces and cities, along with five online stores on digital platforms. With stable market demand, the cooperative has expanded VietGAP-standard farming links with more than 100 households, supplying about 172,500 chickens annually.
To date, Bac Ninh has secured protection for 128 collective trademarks, certification marks and geographical indications. Among them, three flagship products have achieved international recognition and overseas protection: Luc Ngan lychee (geographical indication), Chu noodles (collective trademark), and Yen The hill chicken (certification mark).
Other agricultural brands such as Luc Son longan, Luong Tai carrots, An Thinh garlic and Danh mountain ginseng are also gaining wider recognition, helping curb counterfeit and imitation products in the market.
Advancing the intellectual property strategy to 2030
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The Yen The Green Agriculture Cooperative has been granted the right to use the “Yen The Hill Chicken” certification mark and has made effective use of the label to enhance production and market reach. |
To further develop community-owned brands, Bac Ninh’s Department of Science and Technology has coordinated closely with local authorities to support IP registration procedures for agricultural products, including collective trademarks, certification marks and geographical indications.
The department has also guided localities and product owners in building management models and granting usage rights in line with regulations.
In 2025, it approved 22 tasks and 10 science and technology projects related to IP development, with total funding of about 31.7 billion VND. Funding allocated specifically for implementing the provincial IP strategy for 2021–2025 stood at 16.4 billion VND.
Amid administrative restructuring, the department has worked with the provincial People’s Committee and the Intellectual Property Office to resolve issues related to trademark and GI management, ensuring continuity and effectiveness in managing community-owned IP assets.
With Bac Ninh’s large agricultural production area and diverse regional specialities, officials said IP protection must continue to be actively pursued as cross-border trade becomes more common.
Protected products, they added, need further value enhancement to strengthen competitiveness and deliver higher economic returns for businesses and farmers, contributing to local socio-economic development.
Looking ahead, the department plans to refine support mechanisms for innovation and agricultural IP protection through 2030, develop copyright databases, deploy digital monitoring systems to detect violations, and promote e-commerce, modern packaging and traceability to meet increasingly stringent consumer requirements.
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