Cam Lo focuses on developing raw material areas associated with processing and exporting medicinal herbs.

Mr. TRAN ANH TUAN, Chairman of Cam Lo District People's Committee, answered the interview

- Sir! In recent years, Cam Lo district has been recognized for its great efforts in directing the production, connection, consumption, and processing of medicinal products and has achieved many positive results. Could you please elaborate on the process of opening up directions for medicinal plants, the journey of "exporting" the locality's strong medicinal products to the market?

- Cam Lo is a district in the midland hilly area, located in the middle of Quang Tri province; it is the northern and western gateway of Dong Ha city on National Highway 1 and National Highway 9. With agricultural land accounting for 80% of the total natural land area, 2/3 of the agricultural land area is hilly, so Cam Lo district determines its development strengths are industrial crops, forestry and medicinal plants.

Processing Solanum procumbens by An Xuan Organic Medicinal Herbs Company Limited, (Cam Tuyen Commune, Cam Lo District) - Photo: D.T

Overcoming the challenges caused by the impact of climate change, in recent years, Cam Lo district has made efforts in directing the production, connection, consumption, and processing of medicinal products and has achieved many positive results. Processed products of the tea tree, Solanum procumbens, turmeric starch, etc. have achieved OCOP 3 - 4 stars (there are 38 OCOP products, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the province's products, mainly medicinal products).

Products processed from Solanum procumbens of An Xuan Organic Medicinal Herbs Company Limited have been recognized as typical products of the Central Highlands region, and are being proposed for 5-star OCOP recognition by the central government. Some products processed from medicinal herbs have been exported to the US, Canada, Laos, and Thailand (An xoa extract, Solanum procumbens, herbal teas). Currently, the district is collaborating with partners from Japan to pilot planting some plants such as ginger, shallots, etc.

Promoting the results achieved in the process of opening up directions for medicinal plants, along with maintaining stable areas of crops in hilly areas such as rubber, pepper, afforestation... the district has advocated expanding the area of medicinal plants to replace crops of low economic value. By the end of 2023, Cam Lo district has maintained stable 30 hectares of Che Vang trees, 17.5 hectares of An Xoa trees, 10 hectares of Solanum procumbens trees, 5 hectares of Melaleuca trees; is experimenting with planting cinnamon, sandalwood, Polyscias fruticosa, Morinda officinalis, Polygonum multiflorum... to gradually affirm their value and expand.

To enhance the value of medicinal plants, Cam Lo district has focused on investing in the processing sector, supporting small-scale industrial production facilities and craft villages to invest in food processing machinery and equipment, register trademarks, and promote products, which has brought about many positive results, creating many typical products of the windy hilly region.

To continue to develop medicinal products commensurate with the local potential and advantages, help raise the brand of products, and bring higher income to the people, the agencies, departments and branches of Cam Lo district actively participate, coordinate with the departments and branches of the province to gradually form a sustainable raw material area, opening a new door for the journey of "exporting" the local strengths of medicinal products in the future.

Creating a new look in the process of restructuring the district's agriculture cannot be ignored without mentioning the development efforts of enterprises and cooperatives that have linked the value chain in the production and processing of medicinal herbs, contributing significantly from the formation of specialized production areas to raising the position of medicinal herbs products in the market.

The District People's Committee has directed localities to focus on synchronously implementing solutions to transform crop structure, replicate new production models associated with promoting the effectiveness of irrigation works, and promote the development of medicinal plant production.

In recent times, Cam Lo district has focused on promoting the restructuring of the agricultural sector, applying high technology to production, linking production - processing - product consumption; in which priority is given to synchronous investment in infrastructure directly serving agricultural production, strongly promoting the role of production organization and joint ventures, associations of agricultural cooperatives, cooperative groups and enterprises in product processing - consumption.

Thematic Resolution No. 02-NQ/HU of the Cam Lo District Party Committee on "Improving the efficiency of production of local agricultural products with strengths in the period of 2016-2020" has promoted the fundamental change of agricultural production practices from small-scale farming to concentrated commodity production associated with processing, brand building and expanding stable consumption markets; clearly identifying key agricultural products and local strengths, thereby focusing on increasing the added value of agricultural production per unit area.

Up to now, the local key crops have been linked to production, processing and consumption according to the value chain, bringing high and stable income to local people.

- Could you tell us how the district has implemented the promotion, branding, and trade promotion of agricultural products, especially medicinal herbs? What are the challenges that the locality must overcome on the path to striving to build Cam Lo district into a medicinal herb center of Quang Tri province?

- Along with directing the expansion of production scale and improving product quality, the District People's Committee has directed the allocation of resources to promote the promotion, branding, and trade promotion of agricultural products; support application models, transfer of science and technology, increase added value per unit area and income for farmers.

Localities in the district have plans to develop more OCOP products of medicinal herbs in restructuring areas, home gardens, and hill gardens; build Cam Lo into a production and processing area of high-value medicinal herbs. Continue to promote the effective application of the "5 increases" strategy (highly intensive farming to increase productivity; apply safe production processes to increase quality; promote processing and preliminary processing to increase product value; build brands to increase competitiveness in the market; link consumption to increase sales) for each product.

However, besides new opportunities for the consumption of medicinal products, the district's agricultural sector still faces many challenges. In fact, many raw material areas in the area are gradually forming but have not been systematically organized, and the production infrastructure has not met the requirements to ensure the planting, care and harvesting of medicinal plants.

Production is mainly on a small scale, making it difficult to apply technology and control food safety, product competitiveness, and production efficiency is not high; production waste and post-harvest losses still exist.

On the other hand, the prices of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, etc. are continuously increasing, at a rate higher than the price of agricultural products, affecting farmers' income, even during good harvests. Some policies have not been implemented synchronously, especially credit policies, agricultural insurance, and quality management of growing areas associated with value chain linkages.

- In order to strive to develop medicinal plants on a large scale, in an organic and sustainable direction, associated with deep processing industry to bring the highest value to local medicinal products, the construction of concentrated raw material areas to serve the processing industry and finding ways to consume products through contracts plays a very important role. Could you tell us how Cam Lo district has paid attention to the above issue?

- Considering the need to build a concentrated raw material area to serve the processing industry, in the 2020 - 2025 term, Cam Lo District Party Committee proposed the motto of promoting agricultural restructuring associated with new rural construction according to the district planning, building sustainable connections between agriculture - industry - trade.

Reorganize production synchronously according to the level of completion of transport infrastructure, irrigation, electricity at the scale of concentrated specialized areas, link, attract businesses to invest in agriculture towards clean production, organic products, high-tech production.

Develop strategic solutions to create breakthroughs in joint ventures and associations in production, processing, branding and trade of agricultural products. Continue to implement Resolution No. 02-NQ/HU (term XV); further develop OCOP products of medicinal herbs; build Cam Lo into a production and processing area of high-value medicinal herbs.

To achieve the set goals and tasks, many solutions have been and are being implemented by all levels, sectors and localities. In particular, the focus is on soon forming concentrated, organic raw material areas, ensuring standards to serve the agricultural processing and export industry in the area.

To develop raw material areas, enterprises need to balance and review all stages of production; at the same time, assign a focal department to be in charge of connecting with the industry, specialized units, closely linking with cooperatives to survey raw material areas, ways of organizing, purchasing and consuming products, proposing solutions for the state and people to accompany and support enterprises in reorganizing production and building raw material areas.

Each enterprise, cooperative, and cooperative group needs to develop an effective production and business plan, including promoting the transformation of operating methods from input services to commodity production; applying scientific and technical advances to produce according to safety standards and connecting production with product consumption to gradually build a concentrated raw material area, serving the processing, production and supply of medicinal products in the area.

In addition, the consumption of products through contracts will link the responsibility of enterprises with producers, farmers will increase their income, and enterprises will be proactive in raw materials, limiting the situation of price loss and unstable output. Therefore, before signing consumption contracts with units and enterprises, farmers need to be carefully consulted on the content of the contract to properly implement the commitment, avoid the situation of production without basing on market demand, production beyond market capacity leading to surplus.

With the determination to take drastic action and identify the right new direction in the process of restructuring agriculture, Cam Lo district will strive to develop medicinal plants on a large scale, in an organic and sustainable direction; associated with deep processing industry to bring the highest value to local medicinal products.

With the view of developing medicinal herbs in the direction of commodity production, creating branded products that are competitive in the market, after many years of efforts to explore, research, and cooperate with partners, medicinal herbs products of Cam Lo district have participated in the domestic market supply chain, and some products have reached the international market. These are important premises for Cam Lo district to gradually expand its scale and strengthen its brand, striving to become the medicinal herbs center of Quang Tri province.

Thank you!

Dan Tam (performed)

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