Brasília, October 6, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Brazil took a decisive step towards registering the name "Cachaça" as a national trademark. A decree published on Friday (3) presents all the specifications of the beverage and defines the "caipirinha" (similar to a daiquiri, but with cachaça, Brazilian sugarcane spirits, instead of rum). The earlier decree was not clear on these points, and Brazil ended up exporting cachaça as rum or "other distilled beverages."

According to Ricardo da Cunha Cavalcanti Júnior, coordinator of plant inspection in the Ministry of Agriculture, the Brazilian decision has already been communicated to the World Customs Organization (WCO), and next week a document will be sent to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

He informed that Brazil produces 1.3 billion liters of cachaça per year, and less than 2% are exported, chiefly to Germany, France, Portugal, Japan, and the United States.

For Cavalcanti Júnior, Brazil does not desire to stimulate the use of alcholic beverages, "but to occupy a market niche for an eminently national product." (DAS)