Egyptian grape-growers caught up in legal trouble

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The variety of black table grapes, locally referred to in the region as “Black Magic” is extensively utilized by Egyptian cultivators and is highly sought-after for export and local market. But, the growers have discovered themselves caught in legal turmoil due to the usage of this particular kind of grape.

A Egyptian cultivator said, under the under anonymity: “The variety entered Egypt via an Egyptian company with exclusive rights to marketing. But, around ten years ago, the plants were delivered accidentally, and ever after that, the cultivar is passed down between growers and has grown to become well-known due to its high quality.”

“More than a few growers are reproducing the seeds not knowing the way they came to Egypt and who is the owner of the intellectual right to property. This variety is now famous under the moniker Black Magic, which is not the name of its trade, large acreages are grown, and there is a huge demands from Russia, East Asia, as well as Arab nations.”

The company that holds the rights has come out and made complaints to several growers, according to the source. “Egypt is a signatory to its signature to the UPOV Convention (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants) and leaves growers in an extremely vulnerable circumstance.

“The cultivators were caught accidentally in this position, because of a miscalculation committed by a third party with never intended to misuse their rights to use the varieties. We urge the rightsholder company to participate in dialogue with us and find the best solution that is acceptable to everyone. Naturally, we’re willing to purchase the right to use the seeds. However, the business is only looking to get rid of the zones that they have cultivated, and for us this means that huge investment and unimaginable losses, particularly for smaller-scale farmers who are using the seeds with good intentions.”

The cultivator concludes: “It is in everyone’s best interest to end this issue that is a disaster for everyone involved. We also need to ensure the regular usage of the seeds, without the risk of harm for either side and in a win-win scenario.”

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Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies