The protected Geographical Indication (GI) of Mondulkiri wild honey will be officially celebrated on March 27 at the Sen Monorom Park in Moldulkiri province's Sen Monorom town, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Commerce minister Pan Sorasak is slated to preside over the ceremony, which will be attended by around 300 guests from foreign embassies, development partners and members of the Mondulkiri Wild Bee Conservarion Association (MWBCA).

Application for the GI status was submitted to the ministry on December 10, 2020 along with supporting document from by the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF Cambodia), the Cambodian Institute for Research and Rural Development (CIRD), US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the EU/Sida, among other development partners.

The ministry said the GI registration is aimed at providing intellectual property protection for MWBCA members and would prevent fraudulent products being sold in local and international markets, preserve knowledge and know-how as well as the traditional talents of farmers and ethnic minorities in the province.

The registration will also promote the quality and packaging of the product and raise awareness about this area. It will also contribute to the protection of the forests of Mondulkiri, one of the country's tourist destinations. It will also create jobs for local people.

The launch will happen simultaneously with the celebration of Earth Hour. Many local products will also be on show alongside the honey, such as Kampot pepper, and products from other provinces. The fair will run from March 26-28.