Pakistan has secured a legal victory in Australia after the Federal Court rejected an appeal by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority over its attempt to register “Basmati” as a certification trademark.
The Australian court dismissed APEDA’s appeal against the earlier rejection of its trademark application and ordered the Indian authority to pay the legal costs of the opposing party, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce.
The Australian Registrar of Trade Marks had rejected APEDA’s application on December 22, 2022. The latest ruling leaves Pakistani exporters free to use the Basmati name for authentic Pakistani rice in the Australian market.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce said Australian authorities had already recognized that Basmati rice is produced in Pakistan, giving Pakistani traders and exporters the right to use the name.
The ministry said the ruling strengthens Pakistan’s position that Basmati is linked to a historically recognized region covering parts of both Pakistan and India, rather than being the exclusive product of one country or institution.
The decision is particularly important for Pakistani Basmati farmers, rice millers and exporters, as it protects their commercial and intellectual property interests in Australia, according to the ministry.
The ministry said Pakistan would continue efforts to protect the Basmati name in international markets based on its historical origin, established reputation and distinctive characteristics.
Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan congratulated the Ministry of Commerce team on the outcome and praised the efforts of government agencies and other stakeholders involved in protecting Pakistan’s interests in the case.
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