Breeder initiates new legal actions against illegal grape plantings and ramps up monitoring efforts
Bloom Fresh has intensified its enforcement efforts in Peru with a series of new legal actions, supply chain monitoring initiatives and investigations targeting the illegal propagation and sale of its protected grape varieties.
As part of this expanded enforcement programme, the company has initiated three new legal actions with the Instituto Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia y de la Protección de la Propiedad Intelectual (Indecopi) against unauthorised growers of its IFG Ten variety – marketed under the trade mark Sweet Globe – and is working closely with industry partners to identify infringing fruit entering international markets.
The company said it has increased collaboration with licensed growers and exporters across the global supply chain, particularly in the US and European Union, the two largest export destinations for Peruvian table grapes. Through these partnerships, it is actively monitoring export data and shipment records to identify suspicious shipments of protected varieties. Bloom Fresh has relied on multiple entities along the supply chain which have been very cooperative in raising suspicions and identifying infringements.
“In one recent case, a shipment of illegal Sweet Globe-branded grapes which had been mislabelled as Sugraone to avoid detection, was identified through supply chain policing,” Bloom said. “Importers in the US are being notified, steps are also being taken to terminate the license of the grower and seek removal of all their licensed and unlicensed plots and this matter is being referred to Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria del Perú (Senasa) and Indecopi for action.”
Bloom Fresh is also rampig up its investigations into illegal propagation within Peru. The company has identified nurseries suspected of illegally propagating protected varieties and has now gathered evidence against more than 15 nursery targets, with legal actions currently being prepared.
At the same time, Bloom Fresh has launched an education and compliance campaign directed at exporters and retailers, reminding them not to source fruit from unauthorised growers and warning of the legal risks associated with trading infringing fruit. This included sending notices to every foreign exporter of Bloom Fresh fruit from Peru earlier in the season.
These actions build on previous major enforcement results in Peru including the removal of 110ha of illegally planted varieties, marketed under the trade marks Sweet Globe, Jack’s Salute, Sweet Celebration and Allison and payment of very hefty fines.
