Armenian government will be able to register goods with national geographic indication

YEREVAN, Sept. 12. /ARKA/. Armenia's National Assembly has discussed today in the first reading a draft law that will allow the government to register goods with national geographical indications.

"Under the current Armenian legislation, only producers can register a product with a geographical indication, while, for example, in Georgia, the government also has the right to do so," Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan said.

He said that such registration will allow exporting and selling Armenian products at a much higher price and ensure extra income.

Kerobyan said that currently only one product with a geographic indication is registered in Armenia - "Sevan ishkhan" (Sevan trout).

In February this year, Georgia banned the export of Armenian matsoon (a kind of yogurt) to Russia through its territory because that country had registered "matsoni" (the Georgian variant of matsoon) as its geographical indication. Producers from Armenia had to ship matsoon to Russia under the label "Armenian mountain yogurt.--0--