Following private and court-ordered investigations, Sun World identified proprietary vines on farms owned by unlicensed growers and pursued infringement litigation
Two Egyptian courts have ruled in favour of Sun World International in infringement litigation the company filed against unlicensed Egyptian growers for illegal production and sale of Sun World grapes.
The two economic courts, located in Cairo and Tanta, issued injunctions on the merits against two growers prohibiting the unauthorised propagation of Sun World varieties; prohibiting the unauthorised sale, offer for sale, import or export of Sun World fruit; awarding monetary damages and forcing the uprooting and destruction of all grapevines illegally planted on their farms at the infringers’ expense.
“Sun World will enforce the full extent of its rights against these infringers, seeking to stop illegal production, remove the infringing plantings and collect damages for past infringement,” said Michael Stimson, vice president of IP and general counsel at Sun World International.
Sun World has more than 200 table grape patents and Plant Variety Rights (PVRs) worldwide, along with proprietary offerings in stonefruits, cherries and mangoes. The California-based company has a long-standing business developing and licensing its proprietary plant varieties to growers worldwide, including Egyptian farmers.
“We continually monitor table grape growing regions and table grapes in consumer markets around the globe for potential infringement cases,” Stimson said. “As a result, through private and court-ordered investigations, we identified Sun World’s proprietary vines on farms owned by unlicensed growers and, after a thorough investigation, pursued this litigation against them.”
Stimson said illegal infringers reduce market price for the fruit grown by law-abiding, licensed farmers who grow Sun World varieties.
“Sun World’s business is to deliver the best varieties possible to our licensees,” he said. “So, we work tirelessly worldwide to enforce our intellectual property against every single infringer we find.”
