Chinese Talks To Protect Status Of Scotch

[John]

Scotch Whisky Association boss Gavin Hewitt said yesterday he was "greatly encouraged"? by talks in China over the legal status of Scotch whisky.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) wants the Chinese Government to ensure that all products labelled as being Scotch whisky actually do come from Scotland.

It applied for Geographical Indication of Origin status in 2007, and since then it has investigated some 200 fake products in China.

SWA chief executive Mr Hewitt was part of a delegation which yesterday urged Chinese Government minister Wang Yong to act swiftly.

The Scottish contingent also included First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Enterprise chief executive Jack Perry. They were joined by Sir William Ehrman, the UK ambassador to China.

After the meeting, the delegation said it expected rapid progress on better legal protection for Scotch in China, and positive developments in other areas discussed.

Mr Hewitt said: "We were encouraged by Mr Wang's positive response. I believe we can now look forward to achieving Geographical Indication of Origin for Scotch Whisky in China soon."?

Mr Salmond said: "This is a vital issue for the Scotch whisky industry. We had an excellent meeting with the minister and I am confident we can now look forward to rapid progress.

"The opportunity for Scotch whisky exports to China is enormous, given its premium status and increases in disposable income among many millions of Chinese citizens. Securing better legal protection will establish a solid platform for growth."?

China is the 15th largest market for Scotch whisky worldwide. It was worth around £42million to the Scottish economy in 2007.

Chivas Regal - whose home is at Keith - is among the top-selling brands in China, where sales of Scotch have been boosted by a fad for drinking it with green tea.

Ironically, Chivas found itself at the centre of a dispute over the authenticity of its exports to China just over two years ago. Owner Chivas Brothers and French parent Pernod Ricard forced an apology from a Shanghai newspaper for tarnishing the name of their 12-year-old Chivas Regal premium blend. It was alleged Chinese imports of Chivas 12-year-old were of a younger vintage, and the ensuing row ended up in the Chinese courts.

John

Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal