Rice labeled “ST25” is being sold at around VND140,000 (US$5.37) per pack of five kilograms in HCMC as against VND225,000 for the real product.
One fake seller, Lan, said she buys it from a seller in the Mekong Delta and has never checked the authenticity of the product.
She was not able to provide any proof of origin. Some other vendors in the city follow the same practice, and cannot guarantee their products are genuine.
Other shops sell ST25 bags with a logo almost identical to the real one, with a single letter changed to fool customers.
The fake rice bags also have anti-counterfeit stamps and QR codes similar to the real ones.
Others use labels such as “Soc Trang” – referring to the location where the real ST25 is grown – and “world’s best rice” to create an impression of authenticity.
In Hanoi, the Market Management Agency has recently discovered similar violations and seized hundreds of bags of fake ST25 rice from several markets.
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Fake ST25 rice with a modified logo sold in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Thi Ha |
Developed by Ho Quang Cua, an engineer, and his associates, ST25 won the “World’s Best Rice” competition in the Philippines in 2019 and secured second place in a U.S. competition in 2020.
Ho Quang Tri Private Enterprise, owned by Cua’s family, owns the worldwide distribution rights for the grain.
One authorized seller of the rice said: “We sell at the correct price and get called expensive, while others mix or use fake ST25 rice and are preferred because of the lower price tag.”
Ho Quang Tri Private Enterprise has repeatedly petitioned the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s general department of market management to protect the ST25 brand.
Its website lists over 200 authorized distributors across the country to guide consumers.
The creator of the rice, Cua, said: “Counterfeiting not only harms the business but also damages Vietnam’s national brand reputation.”
He said eliminating fakes would remain a challenge without consumer vigilance.
His company advises consumers to check the iCheck stamp on the front of the packaging. After scratching off the silver coating, they should scan the QR code with the iCheck app and verify the serial number.
The ST25 brand, including the “Ong Cua” logo, is protected in Vietnam, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.
