Geographical indication labels guarantee the quality and safety of foodstuffs. Zhao Xinying reports from Zhangjiajie and Changsha, Hunan.

The growth of geographical indication labels in Hunan province is boosting the quality and sales of local agricultural produce and helping to raise workers' incomes across several sectors, according to officials, industry insiders and farmers.

A geographical indication is a label displayed on products to show that they have a specific place of origin and are imbued with qualities or a reputation determined by that location's prevalent environmental or cultural factors.

As such, GIs are a form of intellectual property right and are widely used to protect products from being misrepresented.

According to Gu Wei, an official with the National Intellectual Property Administration, for goods to qualify for a GI label, several thresholds must be reached－one of the most difficult being that the product must be produced, processed and assessed under a series of unified standards.

Once a GI label is granted, it can play a significant role in boosting the development of a specific sector and local economy, said Gu, who is currently serving a placement as a deputy director of Sangzhi county, Hunan, to aid poverty alleviation efforts.

With that in mind, Gu and his colleagues are working to help more of the county's products－including black pigs and reed leaves used as wrapping for zongzi, a type of glutinous rice ball－to gain GI status.