Marketing of Muntok White Pepper as a Certified Geographical Indication Product (Legal, Economic and Business Perspective)

This qualitative study empirically examines the case of Muntok White Pepper marketing after its legal registration as a geographical indication in the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia. The research employs economic and business approaches with the aim of assessing the marketing of Muntok White Pepper after its certification or registration as a geographical indication. Based on the research findings, there is an obligation that must be undertaken by the applicant as the rights holder after a product is registered as a geographical indication, namely to maintain its reputation to ensure the product retains high value. However, the marketing efforts thus far have not been entirely effective in controlling prices. One contributing factor is that price control does not lie in the hands of the farmers, who represent a pivotal link in the development of geographical indication products. Drawing on marketing management principles, various common marketing strategies can be employed. One such strategy is market segmentation, which involves dividing the market into smaller groups based on shared characteristics such as age, gender, or product preferences.


Introduction
Fundamentally, humans possess reason that distinguishes them from other creatures.It is through this reason that a person can give birth to a creation.This is the outcome of a person's intellectual endeavor in processing the reason and thoughts they possess.Although some individuals may produce similar creations, the quality may differ (Darwance, Yokotani, and Anggita 2020a).In its progression, these intellectual creations are inherently individual; some naturally become intellectual assets of a communal nature (Syafi 2023).Indonesia is a country abundant in natural resources (Rachman 2016).Moreover, a portion of the natural wealth possessed by this nation serves as a distinctive feature indicating that the product originates from Indonesia.In other words, this particular natural wealth is exclusive to Indonesia.While it may exist in several other countries, due to specific conditions such as environmental and human factors, they are not equivalent in terms of quality.This is what is referred to as geographical indication; products that, in terms of characteristics or quality, are unique to specific regions.Geographical indication serves as a mark indicating the original region of a product, associated with its reputation or other characteristics relevant to the geographical origin of the product (Tim Lindsey 2013).
Normatively, Indonesia already has regulations governing geographical indications, namely Law Number 26 of 2011 on Trademarks and Geographical Indications.Previously, geographical indications were only regulated under Government Regulation Number 51 of 2007 on Geographical Indications.This demonstrates that the government genuinely prioritizes efforts to safeguard products characterized by geographical indications.However, there exists an anomaly in the legal protection that is in place.The protection of geographical indications in Indonesia is still relatively weak, as evidenced by the abundance of products with potential, yet remain unregistered as geographical indications.This weak protection has been exploited by developed nations to register original Indonesian product names, subsequently commercializing them to gain economic rights.Examples include the registration of "Kopi Gayo" as a trademark (Gayo Mountain Coffee) by European Coffee Bv (Kusuma and Roisah 2022), and "Kopi Toraja" utilized by Key Coffee in Japan (Fuad et al. 2021).
The Directorate General of Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, there are currently over 90 products registered as geographical indications, including the Muntok White Pepper from the Bangka Belitung Islands (Anon 2023).Since a long time ago, the community in the Bangka Belitung Islands has considered pepper as a leading commodity.Pepper has become the primary source of economic income.The decision to cultivate pepper as a commodity is partly due to its high market value.Moreover, the pepper originating from this region is known for its distinctive flavor.Laboratory tests have reported that the piperine content in this type of pepper reaches 5.7% or generally even higher (Pranoto and Sumiyati 2022).Therefore, in the year 2010, Muntok White Pepper was granted certification as a geographical indication.
The registration of geographical indications, aside from preventing counterfeiting and misuse of a product's name, aims to enhance the income of cultivating communities.With the registration of premium products through geographical indications, it is anticipated that the product prices will rise (Putranti and Indriyani 2021b).In other words, it is intended that the said products have high prices, or at the very least, maintain a stable value.Producers or parties involved in the distribution chain can play a pivotal role in the price determination mechanism.However, in the case of pepper, this does not materialize.Post-certification, the price of pepper tends to be fluctuating, and in some instances, even declining.The market proves challenging to control.From a regulatory standpoint, apart from safeguarding reputation, legally, rights holders of geographical indications are obligated to maintain prices.By registering unique and premium products under geographical indications, other benefits include, on a macro level, improving the welfare of local communities and those surrounding them.Meanwhile, in terms of quality and standards, distinct and high-quality products from each region can enhance their competitiveness (Atsar, Mulada, and Satriawan 2023).
The price of pepper is a primary factor that significantly influences the development of white pepper agribusiness in the Province of Bangka Belitung Islands (Maulani, Siti, and Setiadi 2022).Based on the export price behavior of pepper from the 1980s to the 2000s, it is documented that the price of pepper experienced extreme fluctuations.It is noted that over a span of 30 years (from 1980 to 2010), the price of pepper saw three increases and two decreases with a substantial difference (the highest price being five times that of the lowest) (Arari and Nugraha 2018).The situation underwent a drastic change during harvest times.In early 2017, for instance, the price of white pepper at the farmer level in Bangka Island dropped from IDR 100,000 per kg to IDR 70,000 -IDR 75,000 per kg (Mukhamad 2023).
In 1998, the price of white pepper reached its highest point at IDR 56,000/kg, then declined to its lowest price of IDR 22,000/kg in 2006.However, from 2007 onwards, the price of pepper began to rise, reaching around IDR 40,000/kg (Daras and Pranowo 2009).
After 2010, the price of pepper continued to steadily rise and reached its peak in 2015.The price of pepper in 2015 broke previous records due to an extraordinary surge.Farmers received an average purchase price of IDR150,000 from traders, with some even reaching IDR170,000 Rupiah per kilogram of white pepper in 2015.Meanwhile, the export selling price ranged between seven to eight US Dollars per kilogram.Comparing the export price of pepper to production costs, historically, an export price of less than 2 USD per kilogram never provided an incentive for farmers.A decrease in production at such price levels indicated the reluctance of farmers to cultivate pepper.This reluctance was well-founded, as the breakeven point for pepper production, as reported by farmers, was IDR 50,000 per kilogram.This aligns with the analysis conducted by the local government of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, where the breakeven or production cost for dried white pepper was determined to be IDR 52,500 per kilogram.In 2018, the price of white pepper at the farmer level was around IDR 50,000 per kilogram of dried pepper.
Consequently, this value did not provide an incentive for farmers, as production costs exceeded the received value.This implies that economically, farmers did not gain profits from pepper farming.The expected price for pepper that would provide incentives for farmers is in the range of IDR 80,000 to IDR 100,000 per kilogram when sold to traders (Arari and Nugraha 2018).
Various efforts have been undertaken by the regional government to maintain the stability of pepper prices, one of which is through the warehouse receipt system.This system is believed to be capable of not only maintaining stability but also potentially increasing pepper prices (Ali 2018).On February 24, 2004, the Regional Regulation of Bangka Belitung Islands Province Number 2 of 2004 concerning the Marketing of Bangka Belitung White Pepper was enacted.It addresses several aspects, including the rights and obligations of exporters, marketing, the implementation of white pepper marketing, supervision, sanctions, and investigation (Darwance, Nugroho, and Yokotani 2018).However, the price of pepper has tended to be unstable over time.Some factors suspected to be the cause of the decline in cultivation area and pepper production in the Bangka Belitung Islands include fluctuations in pepper prices (Suharyanto and Rubiyo 2023).

Literature Review
Intellectual Property Rights Every individual possesses varying levels of intellectual ability.This is what intellectual property is.In various literatures, intellectual property right is defined as the right held by an individual, a group of individuals, or a legal entity collectively, over the results of their creativity in processing reason and thoughtsnamely, the transformation of ideas and concepts into tangible entities (Darwance, Yokotani, and Anggita 2020b).Another perspective maintains that intellectual property rights are recognition and acknowledgment, granted to an individual or a legal entity, for their discovery or creation of intellectual works, bestowing specific rights upon them, whether social or economic in nature (Ismael 1990).All nations recognize the rights to intellectual property in the form of idea-based products, such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets, as well as integrated circuit layouts and plant varieties (Maria 2018).
The Ministry of Law and Human Rights distinguishes Intellectual Property Rights (HKI) based on their ownership structure, namely those that are personally owned and those that are communally owned.Personally owned HKI refers to intellectual property that is fully owned by an individual or a group of individuals, with or without applying to the state for the grant of a monopoly right for economic exploitation.Meanwhile, communally owned HKI refers to intellectual property that is fully owned by a specific community residing in a particular location on a permanent basis (Rachmadi 2021), one example being the potential for geographical indications.Geographical indications are signals indicated geographically to function as products with a specific geographical origin, possessing qualities or reputation associated with their origin (Zahida, Putri, and Wicaksono 2021).According to Article 61 of the Law on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, a geographical indication is protected as long as the reputation, quality, and characteristics that serve as the basis for granting protection to a geographical indication for a product are maintained.A geographical indication may be revoked if;

Communal Intellectual Property
(1) the criteria of reputation, quality, and characteristics that form the basis for granting protection for the geographical indication are not met; and (2) it contradicts the ideology of the state, legal regulations, morality, religion, decency, and public order.

Muntok Whitte Pepper Marketing; How is it Regulated by Law?
Pepper cultivation has been a longstanding and intergenerational practice among farmers in the Province of Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (Darwance et al. 2018).Muntok White Pepper, locally referred to as "sahang," represents a plantation product that has served as a significant source of income for the communities in Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, particularly those residing in the rural areas.With its high price and distinctive characteristics not found in similar commodities from other regions, the pepper from this area has gained prominence in the global market.
Muntok White Pepper from Bangka Belitung, along with various other regional products such as In accordance with Article 67 of the Law on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, any producer entitled to use a geographical indication has the right to file a lawsuit in the event of a violation of the geographical indication.Additionally, this action can also be taken by an institution representing the community in a specific geographical area, authorized for such purposes.This means that in the context of Muntok White Pepper, BP3L, as the institution that submitted the registration, holds the rights as stipulated in this provision.
Meanwhile, in accordance with Article 69 of the Law on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, the holder of the geographical indication has the right to file a lawsuit against any unauthorized user of the geographical indication, seeking compensation and requesting the cessation of unauthorized use, as well as the destruction of labels bearing the geographical indication used without authorization.To prevent further harm to the aggrieved party, the judge may order the infringing party to cease activities related to production and reproduction, and may also mandate the destruction of labels bearing the geographical indication used without authorization.Who is responsible for nurturing the protection of geographical indications?Article 70 of the Law on Trademarks and Geographical Indications states that the nurturing of geographical indications is carried out by the central government and/or regional governments according to their respective authorities.This includes matters related to the utilization and commercialization of geographical indications, as well as facilitating the development, processing, and marketing of goods and/or products with geographical indications.
In addition, article 71 of the Law on Trademarks and Geographical Indications states that the supervision of geographical indications is carried out by the central government and regional governments according to their respective authorities.However, it can also be carried out by the community.This is aimed at ensuring the continued reputation, quality, and characteristics that are the basis for granting geographical indications, as well as preventing the unauthorized use of geographical indications.The results of this supervision are communicated to the holder of the geographical indication rights and/or the minister.
Explicitly, the Trademark and Geographical Indications Law does not provide detailed regulations regarding marketing as one of the efforts that can be undertaken by the holder of geographical indication rights.Nevertheless, this can be inferred from several articles, one of which includes the purpose of registering the product itself to obtain legal protection as a geographical indication.Marketing, in the effort to maintain prices, is a sine qua non that must be carried out by the rights holder.The tendency of prices to be unstable, in the context of price maintenance efforts, indicates that there is something that needs to be addressed.This improvement should begin with an evaluation of marketing methods, and subsequently determining steps and marketing models to ensure that the price of Muntok White Pepper remains stable, or even high.

Economic and Business Marketing Strategis for Muntok Whitte Pepper
The protection of a product, including Muntok White Pepper, as a geographical indication, aims, among other things, to ensure its consistently high economic value.In other words, price control rests in the hands of the farmers, who play a pivotal role in the pepper trading cycle.Therefore, adherence to established standards in managing and preserving reputation is imperative for all parties involved.
White pepper from Bangka Belitung, marketed under the brand Muntok White Pepper (MWP), enjoys global recognition due to its high quality and relatively higher price compared to black pepper ( Registering a product as a geographical indication doesn't automatically guarantee a continuous increase in its price.Concrete efforts are necessary.After a product is registered as a geographical indication, as in the case of Muntok White Pepper, the party that applies as the owner (or holder) of the geographical indication is responsible for its management.Therefore, the owner in this case must have at least three functions: to unite business actors in the value chain, to manage the specific qualities and characteristics of the goods and/or products, and to promote and maintain the reputation of the goods and/or products (Damary and Riyaldi 2018).Among these three aspects, promoting the geographical indication as a market access is one crucial part, because one of the objectives of registering a product as a geographical indication will be achieved if the marketing is done with the appropriate method as well.

Figure 1. Muntok White Pepper Marketing
In the Bangka Belitung Islands, the marketing channel for white pepper starts from farmers (producers) to village-level collectors, then to district-level traders, regional traders (wholesalers), and inter-island traders (Ludi and Yuhono 1996).This aligns with the findings from an interview with Rafki Hariska, Chairman of BP3L Bangka Belitung Islands as the holder of the Muntok White Pepper certificate.The marketing of Muntok White Pepper has been carried out by exporters who apply for a quality certificate for Muntok White Pepper from BP3L.Subsequently, BP3L forwards it to the laboratory of the Testing and Quality Certification Institute (BPSMB) for sample collection and quality testing.Once the quality test results are obtained from the laboratory, they are included in the geographical indication quality certificate and provided to the exporter (applicant) as an attachment for the release of Muntok White Pepper outside of the Bangka Belitung Islands.
Furthermore, based on the results of the Focus Group Discussion (FGD), it is evident that Muntok White Pepper is not fundamentally influenced by its status as a geographical indication.Prior to its registration as a geographical indication, its price was already high.Interestingly, the price has decreased after registration, or it tends to remain unstable.This is attributed to the fact that the market is not controlled by farmers, but determined globally.Consequently, even holders of the geographical indication certificate have limited influence on price determination.Moreover, the dependency of farmers on pepper is one of the reasons why prices cannot be controlled.In other words, in certain cases, farmers inevitably sell the harvested pepper due to economic factors.Regardless of the price, farmers will sell the pepper.In this context, those who benefit significantly are the collectors with substantial financial resources, as they may choose to sell the pepper to the global market only when demand and prices are high.Hence, there is a need for improvements in the marketing mechanism to enable price control.

RETAILERS FARMER CONSUMERS
The marketing method for Muntok White Pepper in marketing management can be implemented using several common marketing strategies.One of the strategies that can be employed is market segmentation, which involves dividing the market into smaller groups based on shared characteristics, such as age, gender, or product preferences (Adha, Pranoto, and Purwasih 2019).Targeting can be achieved by selecting the market segment most likely to purchase the product, such as restaurants or hotels that require high-quality raw materials for their cuisine.
Positioning can be accomplished by emphasizing the quality and uniqueness of Muntok White Pepper, such as its stronger flavor and sharper aroma compared to regular white pepper.
Furthermore, in marketing management, there is also the concept of the marketing mix, which consists of four elements: product, price, promotion, and distribution These four elements must be well-managed to achieve the desired marketing objectives.In the context of marketing Muntok White Pepper, the marketing mix can be arranged by considering the product's characteristics, competitive pricing, targeted promotion, and effective distribution to reach a broader market.
Additionally, market research is also a crucial marketing method as it helps companies better understand the market, competitors, and consumers.Market research aids companies in identifying new opportunities, developing products that align with consumer needs, and comprehending market trends.Relational marketing can also be employed to establish long-term relationships with consumers through excellent service, effective communication, and high customer satisfaction.
In practice, companies can use a combination of these marketing methods according to their needs and objectives.Each marketing method plays a crucial role in achieving marketing success and business growth.Marketing management also involves setting marketing goals and objectives, developing marketing strategies, and measuring performance to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the implemented strategies and making improvements if necessary.Several strategies for developing the upstream pepper industry include production, marketing, and industry management.In the upstream regions, the primary challenge faced by the pepper industry is the underutilization of superior varieties and activities that are still considered low value-added, meaning they are resource-intensive but create minimal added value for consumers.The optimal strategy to address these issues involves building seed stocks, providing technical expertise, utilizing organic fertilizers and biopesticides, and enhancing the network of agricultural machinery and equipment industries.
In the production subsystem, consolidating the agri-food pillar can provide comparative advantages.Alternatively, technology can be employed to transition farmers from using high-input production to lower-input production.Other technical activities in pepper cultivation are also necessary, including the use of superior varieties, pest and disease control, the establishment of an integrated management system, and the integration of pepper cultivation with livestock farming.Improving the quality of pepper and diversifying products are also crucial in maintaining the quality standards of Indonesian pepper, such as Muntok White Pepper.Optimizing pepper marketing requires enhanced market intelligence to reach farmers.To maximize the management of pepper cultivation, both individual farmers and groups should be empowered through local and international pepper organizations.
In the research conducted in West Bangka Regency, it was found that there are five types of white pepper marketing channels and a market structure formed from dominant white pepper marketing to imperfect competitive markets, namely oligopoly.Therefore, companies need to consider alternative marketing channels that are efficient so that all marketing institutions involved are satisfied with the marketing activities and the sustainability of Muntok white pepper commodities in West Bangka Regency (Adha et al. 2019).In another study, it was found that white pepper farming is carried out periodically and sustainably in West Bangka Regency, supported by the potential of white pepper which already has a brand image (Muntok White Pepper).Therefore, companies can utilize this brand image to promote Muntok white pepper products.Additionally, companies may also consider using the appropriate marketing mix strategy to achieve their desired marketing goals (Fazaria, Hakim, and Sahara 2016).
Furthermore, the four elements of the marketing mix model, namely product, price, promotion, and distribution, must be well-managed in order to achieve the desired marketing objectives.In the context of marketing Muntok white pepper, the marketing mix model can be arranged by considering the product's characteristics, competitive pricing, targeted promotion, and effective distribution to reach a broader market (Philip and Kevin Lane Keller 2016).Pepper plays a crucial role in the national economy, particularly in terms of foreign exchange, employment, industrial raw materials, and direct consumer consumption.The presence of pepper plantations provides a significant economic impetus for communities engaged in agricultural activities.Essentially, production activities flourish due to the potential of pepper trees, which have a substantial economic impact on communities and farmers.Pepper farming stands as a driving force behind the increased prosperity of farmers, and the pepper economy can serve as a primary source of income and foreign exchange for them.Socially, pepper is a commodity traditionally cultivated for an extended period, and its existence is considered a provider of employment opportunities for both indigenous and immigrant populations.

Conclusion and Suggestion
One of the aims of registering a product as a geographical indication is to maintain, and even increase, its price.This was the expectation when Muntok White Pepper was registered with the relevant authority.Explicitly, the Indonesia's Trademark and Geographical Indication Law does not provide detailed regulations on marketing.This means that marketing, as an effort to maintain prices, is one of the strategies that must be undertaken by the rights holder.This is because prices that tend to be unstable can indicate areas that need improvement in the effort to maintain and increase prices.
From a legal perspective, a number of regulations need to be constructed in order for a product that has been registered as a geographical indication to increase its price.Legal intervention is important in this regard.Based on marketing management principles, several marketing strategies commonly used in marketing management can be employed.One such strategy is market segmentation, which involves dividing the market into smaller groups based on similar characteristics, such as age, gender, or product preferences.

Acknowledgement
In this section, thanks are conveyed to the Universitas Bangka Belitung which has funded this research through the Penelitian Unggulan (PU) scheme for 2022 funding which is stated in contact Number: 190.C/UN50/L/PP/2022.In addition, we must also express our gratitude to the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Bangka Belitung.

Article 1
Number 6 of Law Number 20 of 2016 concerning Trademarks and Geographical Indications defines geographical indications as a sign indicating the origin of a product and/or goods, which, due to geographical environmental factors including natural and human factors or a combination thereof, bestows a specific reputation, quality, and characteristic upon the produced product and/or goods.Continuing in Article 1 Number 7 of the same regulation, it is stated that the right to a geographical indication is an exclusive right granted by the state to the registered geographical indication holder, as long as the reputation, quality, and characteristics that form the basis for granting protection for that geographical indication still exist.
Putra and Jajang 2019).The Muntok White Pepper from the Bangka Belitung Province has established a strong brand image and is internationally recognized.The Muntok White Pepper from the Bangka Belitung Province has established a strong brand image and is internationally recognized.In 2009, the export value of white pepper from the Bangka Belitung Province amounted to US $26,228,153.71(Central Statistics Agency of Bangka Belitung Province, 2010).which accounted for approximately 40 percent of its total production (Sapta et al. 2017).
(Almusawir et al. 2022)21)tion of Intellectual Property Rights (HKI) encompasses not only individual-based rights, but also communal-based rights(Gede et al. 2023).Communal intellectual property refers to intellectual property owned collectively by the general community(Adawiyah and Rumawi 2021).Communal ownership serves as the foundational concept for safeguarding natural resources and cultural heritage(Suyud 2015).Communal intellectual property plays a crucial role in a nation's economic growth(Agung et al. 2023).It is characterized by its communal nature, meaning that the benefits and interests prioritized are those of the collective populace (Sulistianingsih, Adhi, and Pujiono 2021). of intellectual property held by communities or groups(Yunita 2021).The significance of a nation possessing documentation of communal intellectual property is to provide legal protection for the wealth held by traditional communities(Hidayah 2020).Communal intellectual property rights can be categorized into four forms: traditional cultural expressions, traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and geographical indications(Yunita 2021).Geographical indications pertain to the origin of a product associated with the reputation, characteristics, and quality of a product linked to a specific region, protected under legal jurisdiction (O.K. Saidin 2019).According to A. Zen Umar Purba, in the concept of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), geographical indications represent the intellectual creativity of humans in the form of a sign, utilized in the trade of specific-location products within the cycle of supply and demand, playing a crucial role in the economic domain(Almusawir et al. 2022).Legal protection for geographical indications serves the interests of the geographical indication holders as legal subjects, who have traditionally cultivated products with specific characteristics(Almusawir et al. 2022).The protection of geographical indications encompasses agricultural and food products closely related to specific geographic areas, including goods produced by nature, (Siagian et al. 2021dillah 2014)dications represent communal ownership because the community diligently works to preserve, uphold, and develop the distinctive characteristics of geographical indication products.This is akin to John Locke's concept of labor.This ownership must be legitimized, respected, and protected by all, including the state (Kusuma and Roisah 2022).Protection of communal intellectual property must be granted to bring economic benefits to the community and prevent misuse.These protective measures are taken as a recognition of value, a show of respect, and a fulfillment of the actual needs of the local community(Sulistianingsih etal.2021).Matters regarding communal intellectual property are regulated by several applicable laws in Indonesia, namely Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 11 of 2013 on the Ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 28 of 2014 on Copyright, Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2016 on Trademarks and Geographical Indications, Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 13 of 2016 on Patents, Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 11 of 2019 on the National System of Science and Technology, Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 48 of 2011 on Animal Genetic Resources and Livestock Breeding, and Minister of Agriculture Regulation Number: 67/Permentan/OT.140/12/2006 on the Conservation and Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources.Government Regulation Number 56 of 2022 on Communal Intellectual Property broadly outlines the types of Communal Intellectual Property, inventorying this type of property through recording, as well as integrating its data.It also covers the safeguarding and preservation of communal intellectual property, the establishment of a national Indonesian communal intellectual property information system, the utilization of communal intellectual property, and funding for the inventorying, maintenance, and protection of communal intellectual property.Furthermore, communal intellectual property rights also acknowledge and respect collective ownership of intellectual property held by communities or groups, whether in written or unwritten form.Subsequently, communal intellectual property rights honor collective ownership agricultural products, handicrafts, or other industries(Djumhana and Djubaedillah 2014).According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the approach to geographical indication protection is based on four categories of legal considerations: (1) unfair competition and passing of; (2) collective and certification mark; (3) safeguarded designations of origin and officially registered geographical indications; (4) protective administrative frameworks(Siagian et al. 2021).In accordance with Article 22 (1) of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) Agreement, it is stated that "Geographical indications are, for the purposes of this Agreement, indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation, or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin."This means that geographical indication products, in general, provide information to the public that there is a correlation between the region where the product is produced and the quality it offers (Putranti and Indriyani 2021a).
This research employs a juridical-empirical method and is qualitative in nature.Primary data is obtained directly through interviews and focus group discussions (FGD) with relevant parties.Interviews were conducted with the officials of BP3L Bangka Belitung Islands.Meanwhile, the FGD was held to gather information from various parties related to the Muntok White Pepper geographical indication, with resource persons from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Bangka Belitung Islands, specifically the Legal and Human Rights Services Division.Additionally, this FGD also invited active participants, including the Legal Bureau of the Provincial Government of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Planning and Development Research Institute of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Agricultural Technology Assessment Center (BPTP) of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Bangka Belitung Islands, specifically the Legal and Human Rights Services Division, the Department of Industry and Trade of the Provincial Government of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Department of Agriculture and Food Security of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Agency for Management, Development, and Marketing of Pepper (BP3L) of the Provincial Government of Bangka Belitung Islands, the Intellectual Property Center of Universitas Bangka Belitung, practitioners, academics, and students.These parties were selected as both resource persons and active participants because, institutionally and personally, they have a relevant connection to geographical indications.
Tembakau Hitam (Black Tobacco) and Tembakau Mole (Mole Tobacco) from Sumedang, West Java, as well as Ubi Cilembu (Cilembu Sweet Potatoes), also from Sumedang, West Java, have been registered as Geographical Indications (Djaja and Djaja 2013).The distinctive characteristics attributed to the geographical factors of Bangka Belitung Islands led to the registration of Muntok White Pepper as a geographical indication by the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Rights of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.This registration was carried out under the name "Lada Putih Muntok (Muntok White Pepper)" by the Agency for Management, Development, and Marketing of Pepper (BP3L) of the Provincial Government of Bangka Belitung Islands on April 28, 2010, with registration number ID G 000000004 and agenda number G.00.2009.000002.