Focus on developing OCOP products from medicinal plants

Realizing the potential and strengths of medicinal plants, recently, the province has built a plan for medicinal plant development until 2025 and a vision to 2030, issued resolutions, programs, projects, plans, and support policies to develop OCOP products from these plants.

People of Cam Chinh commune, Cam Lo district harvest an xoa trees - Photo: TT

Cam Lo district is a locality with strengths in growing and processing medicinal plants. By the end of 2023, the whole district will have planted more than 127 hectares of medicinal plants of all kinds, of which 30 hectares of Che Vang, 17.5 hectares of An Xoa, 10 hectares of Solanum procumbens, 5 hectares of Melaleuca cajuputi, and cinnamon, sandalwood, Polyscias fruticosa, purple Morinda officinalis, etc. are being tested to gradually affirm their value and expand.

According to Vice Chairman of Cam Lo District People's Committee Tran Hoai Linh, the locality strives to become the province's medicinal herb center by 2025 with a scale of 500 hectares, focusing on developing a number of medicinal plants with high economic value such as Che Vang, An Xoa, Solanum procumbens, Melaleuca five-veined and some other plants. Many products processed from Che Vang, Melaleuca, Solanum procumbens, turmeric starch... have achieved OCOP 3 - 4 stars at the provincial level.

In the coming time, the district will continue to strengthen the direction of localities to develop more OCOP products from medicinal plants. In addition, it will focus on propaganda and mobilization of forest producers to conserve, protect and reasonably exploit medicinal plants under the forest canopy to link with processing establishments and cooperatives associated with innovation in processing technology, building brands to participate in the OCOP product chain of the district, province and the whole country.

Through the results of surveys and investigations in the area, initially, more than 230 medicinal plant species were recorded, of which 199 species are on the list of medicinal plants prescribed by the Ministry of Health in Circular No. 48/2018/TTBYT dated December 28, 2018. Medicinal plants are concentrated in 5 districts including Huong Hoa, Dakrong, Cam Lo, Gio Linh, Vinh Linh.

The whole province currently has more than 4,000 hectares of medicinal herbs with about 40 medicinal herb species that have been researched and applied, expanded production scale, exploited in nature for processing and consumption, in which connecting with Vietnam Cinnamon and Star Anise Production and Export Joint Stock Company (VINASAMEX) to plant and consume 114 hectares of cinnamon trees; connecting with Agi-Dynamics Vietnam Joint Stock Company to plant and consume 10 hectares of an xoa trees; Bac Hien Luong Essential Oil Company Limited to plant more than 40 hectares of five-veined cajuput trees; certified organic conversion of 2 hectares of purple Morinda officinalis trees...

The province has identified a focus on developing 14 medicinal herbs including vằng tea, cajuput, turmeric, lemongrass, ca gai leo, an xoa, vine gymnema, seven-leaf one-flower, codonopsis, ginseng, jiaogulan, cinnamon, ginseng, purple khôi and a number of other medicinal herbs to create traditional ethnic products in the province that meet the criteria of OCOP products.

Currently, in the province, there have been established models of production and processing of medicinal plants with an output of up to 8,000 tons/year such as Dinh Son Mai Thi Thuy Medicinal Herbs Company Limited; An Xuan Organic Medicinal Herbs Company Limited in Cam Tuyen commune, Cam Lo district, and AGRYDYNAMICS Vietnam Joint Stock Company.

Other units such as Bac Hien Luong Essential Oil Company Limited, Huyen Thoai Essential Oil Company Limited, Nhien Thao Quang Tri Company Limited, Truong Son Medicinal Herbs Cooperative and dozens of establishments and cooperatives processing essential oils and pharmaceuticals contribute to creating income for people 4-5 times higher than traditional crops. Currently, there are nearly 60 OCOP products originating from medicinal herbs that are recognized and welcomed by the market.

In April 2022, the Project to encourage the development of medicinal herbs associated with the OCOP program in the province for the period 2022-2026, with a vision to 2030, was approved by the Provincial People's Committee under Decision No. 1113/QD-UBND. The goal of the project is to bring the area of medicinal plants in the province to 4,500 hectares by 2026.

Of which, at least 1,000 hectares will be newly planted, including 200 hectares of concentrated scale and 800 hectares under forest canopy for medicinal plants that have been proven effective, have the ability to be replicated, and have a stable consumption market. There will be an additional 15-20 OCOP products originating from medicinal plants, of which at least 1 product will be recognized as a 5-star OCOP product. By 2030, strive to bring the area of medicinal plants in the province to over 7,000 hectares.

Of which, at least 2,500 hectares will be newly planted, including 1,000 hectares of new concentrated production and 1,500 hectares of planting under the forest canopy. Upgrading and investing in expanding at least 10 medicinal plant nursery facilities. Building and upgrading 10 more facilities for preliminary processing, processing and preserving products derived from medicinal plants. Having 30-35 more OCOP products derived from medicinal plants, of which at least 2 products will be recognized as 5-star OCOP products. In the period from 2022-2026, Quang Tri province plans to invest more than 52 billion VND to implement the project.

To improve the effectiveness of project implementation, localities need to focus on developing medicinal plants suitable for each ecological region, on the basis of effectively using all potentials of natural and social conditions associated with the management, exploitation and sustainable use of cultivated and natural medicinal plant resources, associated with processing facilities and development of OCOP products.

Mobilize and integrate resources, especially national target programs to develop medicinal herbs in the direction of commodity production, creating medicinal herbs products with brands that are competitive in the market, linking raw material production with product consumption. Build medicinal herb growing areas associated with processing facilities, diversify product structures to ensure safety and quality, high competitiveness, meet the needs of medicinal herbs markets in and outside the province, aiming for export.

Aquarius

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