Armenia to protect ‘basturma’ and ‘matsun’ as national brands

YEREVAN, March 24. /ARKA/. Discussions are underway to secure and protect national geographical indications for “Armenian basturma” (dried meat with spices), “Armenian matsun” (a fermented milk product, a type of yogurt) and a number of other products, Armenian Deputy Economy Minister Narek Hovakimyan said at a meeting of the parliamentary committee on European integration on Monday.

In February 2022, a scandal erupted in the Armenian media over Georgia’s ban on the export of Armenian matsun to Russia through Georgia, since that country had registered “matsoni” as its geographical indication. Armenian producers were forced to send matsun to Russia under the label “Armenian mountain yogurt”.

In the same year, the National Assembly of Armenia considered and adopted in the second and final reading a bill allowing the government to register goods with a national geographical indication.

This law entered into force on November 11, 2022 and amended the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Geographical Indications” of April 29, 2010. According to the new provisions, the legal protection of geographical indications extends to agricultural products and food products, with the exception of natural and mineral waters.