The People’s Committee of Van Ho District in northwest Vietnam’s Son La Province has produced 10,000 stamps measuring 15 cm by 20 cm in length, to confirm the origins of the area’s cherry blossom ahead of Tet, VN Express has reported. The move is part of plans to ensure wild cherry blossom is protected.

Vice president of the district’s committee Vu Thanh Hai said the stamps would be made out of nylon. All stamps will have a sticky side to wrap around the branches and they cost 1,000 VND each.

Vu also stated that the Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Van Ho would sign these stamps to preserve quantity and avoid counterfeit.

The authorize authorities in Van Ho will check provide local producers with suitable number of stamps. They must ensure the branches are homegrown and not collected from local forests.

Traders will also receive a verification to prove legitimacy. The verification will contain place of purchase, name of the seller and the quantity.

Tenh A Chia, mayor of Long Luong commune, said the labels would will “elevate the brand of Van Ho’s cherry blossom.” The policy has received great support from locals.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke at the Conference of Agricultural industry on Dec. 24, 2020, calling for the prohibition of cutting cherry blossom trees and other kinds of plants in mountainous area beforeTet, in order to preserve natural resources.

The ban applies to wild not farmed plants.

People throughout Vietnam often buy cherry blossom branches to decorate their homes over the Tet holiday season.