NIGERIA:TRADEMARKS:NAFDAC CALLS FOR THE SUSPENSION OF ANAMBRA RICE

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Picture Credit- Nairaland

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the Anambra Government to suspend production and sale of all unregistered rice labelled “Anambra Rice’’. The rationale for this is based on the foregoing;

·       A petition was forwarded to NAFDAC by Stine Industries, Nnewi, over the alleged counterfeiting and illegal use of the trade mark by the state government.

·       Stine Industries had produced certificates of incorporation and trademark registration in 2016.

·       A raid was conducted which revealed that there were products branded “Anambra Rice” but with no NAFDAC registration number.

·       The suspension was aimed at enabling the state government and Stine Industries to resolve their differences, while maintaining good manufacturing policies for food production in the country.

Picture credit: anambrablog.com

In response to this, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry appealed to the agency to give more time to the two parties resolve their differences. He further stated the following;

·       The state government was taking steps to acquire appropriate marketing authorization for its rice production concerns and had obtained registration of the trade mark with the Federal Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry for the production of five commodities, including cassava, honey and rice.

·       The State Government has commenced production because of the fact that the Federal Government wanted to ban rice and had requested that states should help in the mass production of rice, knowing the disadvantages of importing rice.

·       They had proceeded with the brand name Anambra Rice in order to make the rice affordable to citizens of the state as well as differentiate their rice from that of other rice producers until they were able to register with NAFDAC

·        An inter-ministerial committee was set up by the government to accredit rice producers and processors so as to ensure that only those with standard production environment were allowed to use the brand name.