June 21, 2012
Indonesia
From the beginning of 2012, the KINA / KING cooperatives have been working towards getting patchouli oil from Aceh internationally recognized under the name: “Nilam Aceh”. The KINA/KING cooperatives are part of the Nilam Aceh Forum for Geographical Indication (GI).
The Nilam Aceh Forum was registered on 25 April 2012 with final certification expected end of 2012. GI is a certification standard that designates product quality, brand identity and preservation of cultural tradition. Patchouli from Aceh will soon join the ranks of well- respected products such as Champagne and Parma ham. Consumers of the Nilam Aceh Forum patchouli oil will be sure they are getting premium oil that fall within the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) while simultaneously supporting and enhancing traditional livelihoods. Geographical Indication is a easy and low cost solution for production intellectual property rights for small and medium entrepreneurs.
In May, the technical assistance team from the Directorate General of Intellectual Property of Indonesia (HAKI) visited the Aceh Patchouli cooperatives to assist the boards in completing requirements for indication. One of the team members, Mr. Riyaldi, mentioned his excitement over working towards getting Nilam Aceh the Geographical Indication. He said: “Aceh Province has great potential to develop patchouli oil in high quantity and quality. The oil is in great demand and the soil is fertile. The yield of patchouli leaves is higher than in other regions and – according to the research - the Patchouli Alcohol (PA) level is well over thirty percent. If Nilam Aceh is truly the worlds’ finest oil, we need to do our best to protect its existence and let it prosper.”
In his meeting with the Nilam Aceh Forum and representatives of local government, Mr Saky Septiono – member of HAKI’s technical team – explained that farmers and businessmen in Indonesia are still not well aware of the advantages of certification and claiming the protection of their products. Geographical Indication is a great way of helping them promote their products to outside buyers.
The Nilam Aceh Forum responded with enthusiams. At the end of the meeting, the chairman assured HAKI the forum will work hard to complete all requirements.
Written by: Isfani Yunus, CCR Communication Officer
