Salak from Indonesia: legal protection, potential geographical indications and development practices toward international markets

AbstractIndonesia is a salak producing country with five superior varieties, namely: Salak Pondoh, Salak Madu, Salak Gading, Salak Gula Pasir and Salak Sidempuan. The large number of Indonesian salak which are claimed to be Thai fruit products marketed to China shows the weak legal protection for salak fruit, which has a geographical indication of originating from Indonesia. This study collects data from relevant online literature and then analyzes them based on inductive analogies. By analogizing the concept of marketing communication tetrahedron analysis from Kevin Lane Keller, which considers four factors (consumer, communication, response and situation), through inductive analogy this paper offers steps that must be taken by the Indonesian government to provide protection and development of salak. Fruit products originating from Indonesia need to be protected and developed through legal measures, good marketing communication, and preservation technology so that they can compete in the international market.