Central province calls for law to boost Vietnamese ginseng

A Ngọc Linh ginseng root for sale at a market in Nam Trà My District in the central province of Quảng Nam. The province has asked for a law on Vietnamese ginseng for sustainable development and brand protection. VNS Photo Công Thành

QUẢNG NAM – The central province has asked the National Assembly to build a law on Vietnamese ginseng, or Ngọc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis, or Vietnamese ginseng) – a legal framework for sustainable development and protection of the national herbal medicine brand.

The law should give guidelines on conservation, farming, testing, certification, granting geographical indication, protection and promotion of the valuable local plant.

The province also sent a strategic plan for developing infrastructure projects, including an upgrade on a 45km section of the National Highway 40B and a 60km key road linking the ginseng farming zone worth a total of VNĐ2.4 trillion.

Vice chairman of the provincial people’s committee, Hồ Quang Bửu said the Government had approved the Master Plan for the development of Ngọc Linh ginseng in 2030-45.

He said traffic infrastructure and a key road system connecting farming zone, factories and markets was necessary to create ginseng-related tourism and increase investment in the sector.

A technician checks a bottle of ginseng saplings at a research centre of the Sâm Sâm Company in Tam Kỳ City. Quảng Nam Province plans to boost the added value of the Ngọc Linh Ginseng and investment in ginseng production projects. VNS Photo Công Thành

Bửu said the province was also urging the government to bring in big investments from TH Group, Vin Group and the other major businesses in the major Ngọc Linh ginseng farm zone in Nam Trà My District.

The province said the National Assembly should review whether to assign a special Ginseng Consuming Day to promote the special 'national treasure'.

There is already a major Ngọc Linh Ginseng hi-tech processing factory and research centre at Tam Thăng Industrial Park in Tam Kỳ City – which produces capsules, essential oils, cosmetics, drinks and tea and food supplements, all made from ginseng roots.

The US$5.4 million factory, which was built by Sâm Sâm Company, can produce 200,000 capsules and provide five million Ngọc Linh ginseng saplings per year.

The central province plans a growing area of 20,000ha across seven zones of Ngọc Linh ginseng.

Ngọc Linh ginseng, grown both in Nam Trà My District in Quảng Nam Province and Kon Tum, was recognised as a National Brand and given a Geographical Indication in 2018.

The ginseng can grow at 1,400m above sea level, in forests in Nam Trà My district in Quảng Nam and Tu Mơ Rông District in Kon Tum Province.

Up to 26 businesses have agreed to invest $221 million in farming ginseng and processing essential oils, cosmetics, drinks and capsules from ginseng in the Nam Trà My district.

An e-commerce platform for Ngọc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis, or Vietnamese ginseng) medicinal herb and farm produce of Nam Trà My has been launched by the mountainous district committee, promoting the national brand and applying online trading and social network business models. VNS