Bek Anloung Durian Gains Official Collective Mark Protection

Durian from Bek Anloung village in Kampong Cham province has been officially registered as a Collective Mark, marking a significant milestone in strengthening intellectual property protection and enhancing the value and reputation of Cambodian agricultural products both domestically and internationally. The Ministry of Commerce officially announced the registration on June 25. The ministry stated that the registration will help improve the product’s market competitiveness, strengthen consumer confidence, and support the livelihoods of durian growers and traders in the village. This also aligns with the Royal Government’s policy of promoting sustainable agricultural development, increasing the value-added of domestic products, and expanding the presence of Cambodian products in international markets. Bek Anloung durian is renowned for its exceptional flavour and is widely recognised by consumers. However, its reputation and market value have previously been undermined by unscrupulous traders who falsely used the Bek Anloung name to market durians imported from outside the area. The Kampong Cham provincial administration noted that obtaining a geographical identification label and a QR code system is an effective strategy to ensure product quality and safety while preventing fraudulent claims regarding the origin of the community’s durians. Provincial governor Un Chanda explained that the Collective Mark registration and the acquisition of CamGAP certification confirm that durians produced by the Bek Anloung community are cultivated in accordance with specific standards, ensuring a high level of food safety for consumers while preventing counterfeit products from entering the market. He described the registration as welcome news and a major milestone for durian lovers, who will no longer have to worry about purchasing counterfeit Bek Anloung durians, as this well-known regional specialty is now officially protected and quality-assured. The Bek Anloung durian community currently consists of 162 member orchards covering approximately 706 hectares. Together, the community produces around 4,000 tonnes of durian per year. Collective Marks have been registered for several other Cambodian agricultural and specialty products, including Battambang Coconut Custard, Siem Reap Num Banh Chok, Koh Pi Pomelo, Phnom Penh Kuy Teav, Kampong Thom Ambok (flattened rice), DSMK glutinous rice, SKO Sen Kra’ob fragrant rice, Preah Vihear rice, and Kandal silver and copper handicrafts. During a June 3 meeting with Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth, Sun Meijun, Chinese Minister of the General Administration of Customs, encouraged Cambodia to increase exports of bananas and durians to the Chinese market. The meeting took place as Sun was attended the 24th Dialogue between the General Administration of Customs of China and the Directors-General of ASEAN Customs Administrations, hosted by Cambodia from June 2 to 4. Sun also reaffirmed China’s commitment to facilitating import procedures for more Cambodian agricultural products to enter the Chinese market. Pornmoniroth noted that bilateral trade between Cambodia and China has grown significantly under the Cambodia–China Free Trade Agreement. Cambodia currently exports a wide range of agricultural products to China, including fresh bananas, durians, Pailin longans, mangoes, coconuts, rice, cassava, cashew nuts, corn and pepper.