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Geographical indications in Croatia - A case study of Virovitica pepper

In recent past, the geographical indication (GI) has emerged as one of the important instrument of intellectual property protection. Besides, it became an important part of agricultural policy in many countries. A geographical indication (GI) is, generally speaking, a sign used on goods with a specific geographical origin possessing qualities or a reputation stemming from that place of origin. A GI commonly consists of the name of the goods’ place of origin (Bourgoing, 2003). GIs serve as a marketing tool that can add economic value to agricultural products by conveying a cultural identity using the region of origin, acknowledging the value of specific human skills and natural resources in the production process, and creating a unique identity for the products (Babcock and Clemens, 2004). Objectives of the protection of geographical indications could be summarised in the following:  to protect product names from misuse and imitation  to help consumers, by giving them information concerning the specific character and the origin of the products  to encourage diverse agricultural production and rural sustainability (Soeiro, 2005). In 1999 Croatian Parliament passed the first Law on Geographical Indications of Products and Services. Since 2003 the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin in Croatia has been provided for under the Law on Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin of Products and Services. According to this Law the State intellectual property office of the Republic of Croatia is the body responsible for the procedure of protection. Since 2005 the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin of agricultural products and foodstuff in Croatia has been regulated in accordance with the EU Regulations No 2081/92. Therefore, Croatian law allows protecting food products with protected denomination of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI) denominations equivalent to those in the EU. The body responsible for the procedure of this protection became Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Management. Only nine agricultural and food product were protected with geographical indications according to the Law from 2003. However, these products have to renew their protection according to the new regulations. So far, none of the products asked for the protection consistent with the new Regulations. Tomato shaped pepper produced in the Virovitica region is one of the first products preparing to ask protection in accordance with the new Regulation. Therefore, a project aiming to help preparing the whole procedure of registration has been initiated. Tomato shaped pepper from the Virovitica region is a well known product in Croatia. It has been produced for the market consumption last 40 to 50 years. This pepper is used for the fresh consumption, for pickling and for stuffing. The specificity of this pepper comes from the agro-pedological conditions of the region. In this paper are presented the results of the survey carried out with pepper producers from the Virovitica region. The actual situation in the pepper production and distribution is specified. Producers’ attitudes and knowledge about protected geographical indication as well as their expectations regarding future protection are described in the paper. Some pepper producers are members of the regional Association of the vegetable producers, whilst significant numbers of them are not members of any producers association. Most of the present farmers produce pepper for the market sale in the last 10 to 20 years. For majority of the surveyed producers this pepper accounts to 30 to 50% of all marketable production of their farms. Currently, pepper is mostly sold in wholesale markets or to the pepper distributors and processors. About 60% of the surveyed producers are familiar to some extent with the concept and regulations about protected geographical indications. However, only 10% are fully familiar with this concept. All producers are willing to participate in the production of pepper protected with geographical indication. They expect to achieve higher selling price and to improve the marketability of the pepper through the protection. However, about half of the surveyed producers are not sure if they would participate in the costs connected with protection registration and future control of the pepper. The results of the described producers’ survey, together with consumer survey will be used in the process of protection of geographical indications as well as for defining marketing program for tomato shaped pepper in the Virovitica region.

geographical indication; papper; Croatia

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