Otog Albas Goat Meat and Otog Spirulina were officially certified as National Geographic Indication Products by the National Intellectual Property Administration recently.
Otog Albas Goat and Otog Spirulina. [Photo/WeChat account of Nuan news]
This marks the city's first-ever national-level recognition in this field, and will help to propel these two prized products – known as the "ginseng of meat" and the "diamond of algae" – to wider markets.
The exceptional quality of Albas Goat Meat benefits from the unique ecosystem of the golden pastures at 39 degrees north latitude. The natural grasslands of Otog Banner are rich in over 300 types of medicinal plants, and the goats drink mineral-rich alkaline water, resulting in meat that is tender, high in protein, and low in fat – far superior to ordinary lamb, hence the moniker "ginseng of meat".
Otog Banner has built a full-cycle supply chain from breeding to market through a model that integrates government, leading enterprises, cooperatives, and herders. This ensures complete traceability from farm to table. Currently, Otog Banner has about 1.8 million Albas Cashmere Goats, with an annual output of around 900,000, producing 18,000 metric tons of meat. In 2021, it was recognized as one of the first China-EU Geographical Indication Products.
Harnessing its natural alkaline lakes, Otog Banner has established the world's largest spirulina production base, with an annual output of 5,200 tons of premium spirulina powder. That represents 50 percent of China's production and 40 percent of the global total.
The spirulina industrial park has developed a complete "cultivation-processing-research-sales" system. Its products are exported to countries like Germany, France, and Italy, and were included in the second round of entries in the China-EU Mutual Recognition Brand Directory.
Moreover, local companies have collaborated with Zhejiang University to create a biomedical research center, developing spirulina-based microsphere technology that successfully incorporates drugs like resveratrol, showing enhanced effectiveness in treating alcoholic gastritis in animal trials. The company's patented spirulina phycocyanin extraction technology further highlights its innovative capacity.
As the brand value of these two "national-level" products and "China-EU Geographical Indication Mutual Recognition Products" continues to grow, Otog Banner is using geographical indications to aid in ecological preservation, industrial development, and rural prosperity. With intellectual property rights as a safeguard, these natural treasures are shining brighter than ever.
