After Basmati Rice, Pakistan to trademark pink salt
Pakistan is all set to register its pink salt after Basmati rice to prevent the misuse of product by other countries and earn revenue.
The Ministry of Commerce will register Himalayan pink salt Geographical Indications (GI) after a meeting with Intellectual Property Organization (IPO) Pakistan chaired by Commerce Adviser Razak Dawood.
The meeting also IPO Chairman Mujeeb Ahmed Khan was also present in the meeting. The pink salt extracted from the Salt Range, which extends along the south of the Potohar Plateau and the north of the Jhelum River. The move intends to curtail the unauthorized use of Pakistan’s GI by other countries.
“We decided that, after registration of rice, pink salt from the Salt Range Mountains of Pakistan will be registered as GI,” Dawood said. He also encouraged the producers to transact at a global level. The ministry intends to accelerate the process so that the misuse of these products is stopped at the international level.
The advisor also urged the business community to identify other products that can be registered as a GI to realize their export potential. “We urge our business community to identify and inform IPO of other products that can be registered as GI in order to protect them for realizing their export potential,” Dawood added.
Recently, Pakistan registered a GI for Basmati Rice as well to pursue a case in European Union against India to get the product registered as its own. This will protect the rights of Pakistani growers and help boost exports.