Brands serve as the calling card of county-level industrial development and provide the foundation for increasing local incomes. Since the start of this year, the Rongan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau has integrated intellectual property cultivation and protection, along with market safety oversight, into the entire process of developing distinctive industries and safeguarding people's livelihoods. By combining precise services with rigorous regulation, the bureau has injected market regulatory momentum into the county's high-quality economic growth. The brand value of "Rongan Kumquat" has now reached 6.809 billion yuan, maintaining its position among the top 100 national geographical indication brands, with the effects of brand-empowered industry and regulation-protected livelihoods continuing to show results.
On-site targeted support resolves enterprises' pressing brand development challenges
“Previously, we wanted to upgrade our brand but lacked knowledge of trademark strategies and patent application procedures. We were worried about taking wrong turns or missing opportunities. Thanks to the bureau's dedicated on-site guidance, our problems were solved in one stop!” said the person in charge of a kumquat planting and processing enterprise in Rongan County. Previously, this enterprise had been deeply engaged in kumquat deep processing for years, producing high-quality goods with a solid market reputation. However, due to a lack of intellectual property awareness, it long faced difficulties such as low product premiums and weak brand competitiveness, which created bottlenecks for scalable growth.
After identifying that many local enterprises and agricultural business entities lacked brand cultivation capabilities, the Rongan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau leveraged the Rongan Kumquat Trademark Brand Guidance Station to implement "one-on-one" on-site services. Staff members went deep into kumquat planting bases and agricultural product processing facilities to investigate business operations, product characteristics, and development plans. They analyzed each enterprise's core pain points and needs regarding trademark registration, patent exploration, and brand development, tailoring brand cultivation programs accordingly. Since the beginning of this year, the bureau has provided specialized intellectual property services to 35 local enterprises, helping them clarify trademark strategies, identify patent exploration directions, and effectively address brand development shortcomings.
Quantitative and qualitative improvements reinforce distinctive brands as drivers of rural revitalization opportunities
Repeated on-the-ground services and targeted assistance have made Rongan County's intellectual property cultivation efforts tangible. By the second quarter of this year, the county has recorded 94 new trademark applications and 59 successful registrations, bringing the total number of valid registered trademarks to over 1,800—ranking among the top counties in Liuzhou City's five-county area. The county's brand development atmosphere has become increasingly vibrant.
As the core distinctive industry brand for Rongan County's rural revitalization, the "Rongan Kumquat" regional public brand has seen its value rise steadily under careful cultivation, reaching 6.809 billion yuan—a remarkable 523.5% increase over the past decade. This transformation has moved the product from a "local specialty" to a "nationally renowned agricultural brand." The impressive brand effect has propelled the Rongan kumquat industry toward scaled, standardized, brand-driven, and industrialized development, creating a virtuous cycle in which "brands drive industry, industry drives employment, and employment drives income growth."
Thanks to the powerful brand influence, Rongan kumquats are now sold across China and exported to more than 20 countries and regions, steadily increasing income for local growers, processing enterprises, and e-commerce practitioners. The fruit has become a core pillar for helping residents achieve prosperity and strengthening the county's rural industrial foundation.
Alongside empowering distinctive agriculture, intellectual property innovation momentum continues to extend across all industries. By the end of July, the county had added 24 newly authorized patents, with 46 valid invention patents covering fields such as agricultural product processing and modern agricultural cultivation, providing solid support for industrial transformation and the shift between old and new growth drivers. Services have been provided to six key enterprises under the intellectual property protection express program, including Guangxi Zhuoxiang Wood Industry Co., Ltd. Additionally, the bureau has built a "bank-government-enterprise" bridge for intellectual property pledge financing, handling patent and trademark pledge registrations totaling 14.5 million yuan for four enterprises, offering efficient financing relief.
Regulation safeguards livelihoods and supports high-quality county economic development
Brand empowerment strengthens industries, while rigorous regulation protects people's livelihoods. While cultivating intellectual property and helping local brands grow stronger, the Rongan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau has advanced cultivation, protection, and enforcement in tandem—acting both as an "attendant" for industrial development and a "guardian" of market order.
On one front, the bureau closely monitors the protection of local distinctive brands, focusing on the use of regional public brands such as "Rongan Kumquat." It rigorously combats trademark infringement, misuse of geographical indications, counterfeiting, and false advertising to resolutely safeguard the market reputation of these iconic brands and protect the legitimate interests of enterprises and growers.
On another front, the bureau targets key livelihood areas including food, agricultural products, and daily consumer goods, conducting routine special market rectification campaigns and cracking down on prominent issues that infringe upon consumer rights. So far this year, the bureau has handled 302 illegal cases (including 109 under general procedures), with 277 concluded. In line with the requirement for flexible enforcement, 22 cases under general procedures were exempted from penalties, accounting for 20.18% of all general procedure cases. This approach not only effectively rectifies market disorder and deters illegal business practices but also guides small and micro enterprises toward compliant operations, comprehensively reinforcing consumer safety protections.
Going forward, the Rongan County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau will continue to deepen its intellectual property empowerment initiative, focusing on the three main pillars of brand cultivation, innovation protection, and market regulation. It aims to expand the matrix of local distinctive brands, activate industrial innovation vitality, and strengthen the defense line for public safety—using precise regulation and high-quality services to continuously empower the county's high-quality economic development and contribute to rural revitalization.