The Effect of oil palm plantations on the reputation of white pepper as the geographical indications of environmental aspect

Abstract

Besides tin mining, oil palm plantations are also being carried out. On the other hand, this region is well known as a producer of good quality white pepper which in 2010 its reputation was legally registered as a geographical indication. This protection is given due to the environmental factor in this region which cause the quality of white pepper in this region is different from pepper in other region. However, the massive opening of oil palm plantations causes Pepper plantation area in Bangka and Belitung continues to decrease. This study uses empirical juridical methods; linking the effect of tin mining and oil palm plantations with the reputation of white pepper as a geographical indication. It uses primary and secondary data in which the primary is obtained from the results of interviews while the secondary data is obtained from literature study data on a number of documents. From the results of the conducted study, it was found that the oil palm plantations which reduce the area of pepper plantations and also change the quality make impact to the reputation. The impact can eliminate the reputation of white pepper as a juridical geographical indication and at the same time automatically end the legal protection of white pepper as a geographical indication.