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Mexican lobbyists want to trademark agave plant

Posted at 10:49 AM, Jul 23, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-23 10:49:54-04

Mexico exports the most tequila to the US - more than 120 million liters - or more than 31 million gallons.

Overall, Mexico sells more than $1 billion worth of tequila a year.

So as companies outside the official tequila region start making their own cheaper version of the popular alcoholic drink, lobbyists in Mexico are trying to stop them.

They want to trademark the plant that tequila comes from - the agave plant.

Lobbyists say the other companies are branding their tequila as "agave liquor". They say that's creating confusion.

Critics of the tequila industry say poor people are just trying to make money to survive.