Ms. Nguyen Thi Bang unlocks the potential of medicinal plants in Dak Glong.

The arduous journey to medicinal herbs

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bang, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative in Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, has dedicated her heart and soul to researching and producing products from traditional Vietnamese medicinal plants.

The development of high-quality Gắm tea and An Xoa tea products is opening up new opportunities for the medicinal herb industry in Dak Glong.

Ms. Bang's journey began in 2016, when the pepper plants that local people had painstakingly cultivated suddenly became infected with disease, leading to widespread crop failure and causing losses for farmers.

In that context, along with like-minded friends who shared a passion for herbs, Ms. Bang decided to establish a cooperative, with the goal of transforming the model of growing industrial crops into medicinal herbs that support health.

The scorpion turmeric product is currently undergoing the process of completing the application for OCOP certification in 2024 by An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative.

"It was very difficult to start. We taught ourselves, researching remedies, consulting documents from many sources, and seeking production experience in various places," Ms. Bang recalled.

It wasn't easy when many people were unwilling to share their secrets, but with passion and her family's tradition of practicing traditional Chinese medicine, Ms. Bang gradually accumulated valuable knowledge.

80% of the products of An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, are of natural origin.

The cooperative was established not simply as a production facility. It has become a bridge between farmers and the market. Currently, the cooperative is the only unit in Dak Nong implementing this model, providing many valuable medicinal herbs that are cultivated, harvested, and processed according to strict standards.

"Dak Nong has many natural medicinal plants. If we know how to cultivate them, we will have an abundant source of raw materials," Ms. Bang said proudly.

The cooperative currently has 24 members and collaborates with many companies and cooperatives nationwide to produce medicinal herbs such as Panax notoginseng, Panax pseudoginseng, and scorpion turmeric… Ms. Bang also stated that approximately 80% of the cooperative's products are entirely natural, providing benefits to consumers.

An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herb Cooperative, located in Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, currently owns five different types of medicinal tea.

An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herb Cooperative currently produces 22 types of herbal extracts, 7 types of essential oils, 5 types of teas, and 7 types of pills. The cooperative's average monthly revenue is nearly 1 billion VND. In the near future, the cooperative will supply raw materials to a large enterprise in Ho Chi Minh City, with a production volume of nearly 10 tons of medicinal herbs.

Unlocking local potential

In her stories about developing medicinal products, Ms. Bang still remembers the sleepless nights spent researching processing technologies and improving production efficiency.

The distillation system for various herbal extracts of An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district.

Ms. Bang shared that initially, the cooperative purchased the An Xoa and Cao Gam plants, processed the leaves and stems, and sold them to people for use in cooking, with the aim of treating liver diseases, gout, and joint problems. After some time, seeing the medicinal properties of the plants, the cooperative researched and processed them into an extract.

"Making a batch of herbal extract is a long process. It takes 100kg of fresh ingredients simmered for 50 hours to produce just 3kg of extract," Ms. Bang explained.

An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herb Cooperative in Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, has not hesitated to invest in modern machinery to serve the production of medicinal herbs.

Throughout all those years of research, the cooperative only gave away its products to patients for free to try and use. Seeing positive results, the cooperative then developed it into an OCOP (One Commune One Product) product.

Nearly eight years have passed, and Ms. Bang and the cooperative have invested almost 3 billion VND in modern machinery for processing medicinal herbs. The cooperative built a factory, purchased drying machines, essential oil separators, powder grinders, and extract cooking machines, among other things.

Modern equipment not only improves product quality but also helps cooperatives build their brand and reputation in the market.

An Xoa herbal tea from An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, has many uses in treating liver diseases.

"We want to build a strong local medicinal herb brand and affirm the value of the products of the local people," Ms. Bang emphasized.

By 2023, An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative's An Xoa herbal tea and Gam herbal tea had achieved OCOP 3-star standard. The cooperative is currently finalizing OCOP registration dossiers for three new medicinal products: scorpion turmeric, turmeric essential oil, and reishi mushroom.

The high-quality tea product of An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, Dak Ha commune, Dak Glong district, achieved OCOP 3-star rating in 2023.

Over the past period, the People's Committee of Dak Glong district has created favorable conditions for cooperatives to participate in many conferences and trade promotion programs to promote their products. At the same time, the district encourages cooperatives to expand their online sales channels, making it easier for consumers to access their products.

According to Nguyen Thi Que, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dak Ha commune: “Developing medicinal products from local raw materials is being actively encouraged by the locality. This success not only helps increase the economic value of crops, but also creates a new distinctive product, contributing to the economic development of the area.”

Dak Glong has many favorable conditions for developing valuable medicinal plants under the forest canopy.

Dak Glong currently has many favorable conditions for developing valuable medicinal plants under the forest canopy. The project "Dak Glong District's Valuable Medicinal Plant Growing Area" - part of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, giai đoạn 2021-2030 - is being implemented.

In Phase I (2021-2025) of the project, Dak Glong district collaborated with various units to develop medicinal plants in the locality. The district implemented the Dak Glong Valuable Medicinal Plant Growing Area Project.

Specifically, the district collaborates with the Vietnam Institute for Research and Development of Traditional Medicine, the Vietnam Ngoc Linh Ginseng Research and Development Institute; 5 companies specializing in the distribution and import/export of pharmaceutical and medicinal products; other companies with potential in capital, land, and labor; 5 cooperatives in the area; and 2 community forest management boards... to cultivate and produce medicinal herbs. The Dak Glong Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company is the leading company in this collaboration.

Tourists are interested in learning about and purchasing medicinal products from Dak Glong for their own use.

With the collaboration of numerous scientists and businesses, and the diversity within the supply chain, the Dak Glong Precious Medicinal Plant Growing Area Project will have many opportunities for development. This will lead to increased productivity and high economic value.

The story of high-quality tea and high-quality tea shows that it's not just a product, but a long journey. A journey from difficulties and challenges to dreams becoming reality.

Ms. Bang and the An Phuc Khang Medicinal Herb Cooperative are contributing to opening up opportunities and creating value for the community and for the entire medicinal herb industry in Dak Nong.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/ba-nguyen-thi-bang-khoi-nguon-tiem-nang-duoc-lieu-o-dak-glong-230502.html