Question : Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

(a) the details of the efforts that have been made by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) to safeguard the Intellectual Property rights relating to ‘Scheduled Products’ and ‘Special Products’ as provided under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985;
(b) the details and the status of protection of Intellectual Property Rights of ‘Special Products’ in important foreign countries and zones; and
(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to strengthen the APEDA in order to protect the invaluable intellectual property of the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a): The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Act mandates APEDA to undertake measures for registration and protection of the Intellectual Property rights in respect of ‘Special Products’, listed in Second Schedule of the Act, in India or outside India. As of now, the Second Schedule has only one entry i.e. "Basmati Rice".
APEDA has undertaken following measures for registration and protection of the intellectual property rights in respect of Basmati rice:

i. Basmati Rice has been registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) vide Certificate dated 15.02.2016 issued by the GI Registry.
ii. A watch agency has been appointed to monitor the trade mark registers worldwide for any third party attempt to register the name ''Basmati’ or any deceptive variations thereof. Action has been taken by way of opposition, rectifications, civil suits, cease & desist notices, amicable settlements etc. in respect of 607 such attempts worldwide.
iii. A law firm has been engaged to initiate/ deal with the consequential legal matters for protection of GI/ Certification of Mark for ‘Basmati’, both in India and foreign jurisdictions.

(b): Applications have been filed in 19 foreign jurisdictions for protection of GI/ Certification Mark vested in ‘Basmati’. So far, the Certification Mark ‘Basmati’ and its logo have been registered in 4 countries – UK, South Africa, New Zealand and Kenya.

(c): Registration and protection of intellectual property rights in respect of ‘Special Products’ is a part of APEDA’s overall mandate of promotion of exports of agriculture products. To achieve its objectives, APEDA implements ‘Agriculture and Processed Food Export Promotion Scheme of APEDA’, which is funded by the Central Government.
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