Coffee Board plans 'origin branding'

The geographical indications registry, under the Union commerce ministry, has written to the Coffee Board asking them to take steps to brand Indian coffee on the basis of the commodity's place of origin.

Other international coffee players including Costa Rica (Coocafe) and Indonesia (Java) have started branding their coffee beans to attract premium prices, the letter pointed out.

According to sources, the Indian coffee growers, who have been facing a slump in prices, can take a cue from other developing nations, which have started using trademark system and branding the products on geographical indications to attract higher prices in the international markets.

The geographical indications registry is in charge of registering goods and products along the place of origins in India. Though Coorg coffee, grown in Coorg, Karnataka, is well-known for its special qualities, no proper branding exercise was being done.

Registration would mean better legal protection. In India basmati rice, Darjeeling tea, Kanchipuram silk saree, alphonso mango are some examples of possible geographical indications commodities.

The registration, once granted, will be valid for a period of 10 years and renewal was possible for further periods of 10 years each.

In addition to Costa Rica and Indonesia, other countries have also started branding their coffee in international markets. This include Cafe de Colombia, Kona of Hawaii and Antigua of Guatemala.

An estimated 20 million people "" located mainly in developing countries "" are engaged in the growing of coffee beans. The coffee trade is estimated at$ 50 billion US a year.

The geographical indications registry in India has a prescribed form and fees for registrations of products and the authorised users can exercise the exclusive right to use of GI name, sources said.

Trade liberalisation in many coffee-producing countries and the emergence of new production centres have led to a surplus coffee supply that is approximately eight per cent above demand, resulting in a sharp drop in prices.