Bringing Lai Chau agricultural products far and wide

Accompanying indigenous people in sustainable development of growing areas and raw material areas, strictly adhering to technical standards during the process...

Indigenous agricultural development

Lai Chau is a border area located in the Northwest of the country, blessed by nature with a cool climate, many rivers and streams, and high mountain ranges. This place is also home to vast green forests, very favorable for growing precious medicinal plants under the forest canopy, Lai Chau ginseng is one of them. Lai Chau ginseng is included in the Red List of Vietnamese medicinal plants, a priority for conservation and development. Ginseng has a sweet taste, warm properties, and the stem and root of ginseng contain a large proportion of MR2 saponin. MR2 compound has the effect of relieving anxiety, fighting depression, and has potential in treating cancer, regulating blood sugar...

Ms. Tang Thi Phuong Thanh - Director of Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative instructs people in Lan Nhi Thang commune (Phong Tho district) on how to take care of Lai Chau ginseng.

Recognizing the precious values ​​of Lai Chau ginseng, in recent years, Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative has focused on preserving, propagating, and developing Lai Chau ginseng in gardens on the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in Nam Xe commune (Phong Tho district), then transplanting it to Mo Si San commune (Phong Tho district) and recently moving it to Lan Nhi Thang commune (Phong Tho district) with a planting area of ​​nearly 1 hectare, nearly 5,000 ginseng plants from 1 year old to 8 years old. The ginseng gardens are all located at an altitude of over 1,400m above sea level, under the canopy of ancient forests, fully absorbing the quintessence of heaven and earth, so they grow well and have a high MR2 content.

Ms. Tang Thi Phuong Thanh - Director of Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative said, to have quality ginseng plants, we carefully choose the planting area. That place must have a cool climate, the soil under the forest canopy has a lot of humus, is not flooded, and has high drainage. The planted variety must be pure ginseng roots from the forest, then grown completely naturally, without breaking the natural structure of the ginseng, without using any stimulants or chemical growth. Ginseng grown by natural organic methods has the characteristics of short plants, unbranched roots, thin leaves, and is favored by the market.

Leaders of Lai Chau province, departments, branches and sectors of the province visited the booth of Thu Ka indigenous agricultural cooperative at the program "Promoting regional linkage in e-commerce development - Enhancing products of the Northern Midlands and Mountains".

Along with Lai Chau ginseng, Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative also produces lemongrass essential oil, turmeric starch, and products from Polygonum multiflorum. With each type of agricultural product, the Cooperative processes it into a variety of products such as: dried ginseng slices, powdered ginseng, fresh ginseng soaked in wild honey, ginseng wine, Polygonum multiflorum powder, Polygonum multiflorum extract, red turmeric essence, lemongrass essential oil, etc. Particularly, lemongrass essential oil is cooked on lemongrass fields of Thu Lum commune (Muong Te district).

Affirming brand, expanding market

The agricultural products of Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative supplied to the market are pure, natural products, no preservatives, no colorants, original products from the growing area, raw material area, trusted by customers everywhere, especially customers in Hanoi city. According to statistics, on average each year the Cooperative supplies the market with 20-50kg of ginseng, 500-800 liters of Java citronella essential oil, 500-600kg of Polygonum multiflorum and turmeric starch.

Affirming its position in the market, the cooperative has gradually grown with a total of 15 members (an increase of 8 members compared to the first day of establishment), with a charter capital of 500 million VND. The cooperative has developed a joint stock company, Thu Ka Gaden, within the Thu Ka ecosystem. Thu Ka Gaden will be a company to bring local products to e-commerce platforms such as tiktok and shopee. The most valuable thing is that the cooperative shares its experience in choosing growing areas, breeding, and developing ginseng for many large corporations, helping to preserve and spread the value of Lai Chau ginseng to customers near and far; creating seasonal jobs for many workers, of which workers looking after ginseng gardens have a salary of 6 million VND/person/month...

Lai Chau ginseng is grown by Thu Ka indigenous agricultural cooperative under the forest canopy at an altitude of over 1,400m above sea level.

Ms. Lu Thi Xanh - a resident of To Y Phin village confided: As a purely agricultural household, I am used to growing rice, corn, and taking care of orchids all year round, but recently I was accepted to work for the Thu Ka indigenous agricultural cooperative. Here I was instructed in techniques for breeding and taking care of Lai Chau ginseng, gradually changing my production mindset as well as understanding the value of forests to life. Working here, I am also paid in full, and have the conditions to cover my living expenses, family expenses, and send my children to school.

The Cooperative also contributes to social security work in the area by visiting and giving gifts to disadvantaged families during the holidays; directly supporting and connecting to support the construction of 2 bridges in Thu Lum commune (Muong Te district); supporting the cost of organizing the Muong Te District Cultural Festival; being a sponsor for the 2023 Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship...

Thu Ka Indigenous Agricultural Cooperative is creating jobs for many local workers.

Most recently, at the Program "Promoting regional linkage in e-commerce development - Enhancing products of the Northern Midlands and Mountains" in 2025 organized by Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade from May 23-25, 2025, the products of the Cooperative appeared in Mega live sessions (online sales) and in the tea and ginseng display area with the main booth of the Cooperative at Lai Chau Provincial People's Square. The Cooperative has product discount codes and profits from the online sales session, the Cooperative will support the work of eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses in Lai Chau province.

In the coming time, the Cooperative will develop deep-processed products from Lai Chau ginseng and Polygonum multiflorum (based on technology, machinery, and modern production lines to process raw agricultural products into various products). With many years of experience and the spirit of daring to think and do, the Cooperative is confident that it will develop more and more, expand its market, contribute to solving the "problem" of agricultural product output, create sustainable livelihoods for people as well as contribute to preserving and developing the precious ginseng varieties of Lai Chau province, joining hands to make Lai Chau increasingly developed.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/kinh-te/dua-san-pham-nong-san-lai-chau-vuon-xa-1071474