The herbal cooperative doesn't throw anything away.

THAI NGUYEN - For Thien Phuc Cooperative, every part of the Bo Chinh ginseng plant has its own value, and if utilized, it can create many unique products.

THAI NGUYEN - For Thien Phuc Cooperative, every part of the Bo Chinh ginseng plant has its own value, and if utilized, it can create many unique products.

Thien Phuc Agricultural and Medicinal Herbs Cooperative (Thien Phuc Cooperative) in Minh Lap commune, Dong Hy district (Thai Nguyen province) is famous for its high-end food and beverage products incorporating Bo Chinh ginseng, such as ginseng panna cotta (ginseng dessert), ginseng hot pot broth, H'Mong chicken stewed with ginseng, and other ginseng-based products like ginseng powder and ginseng tea.

Products from livestock farming to medicinal herbs, seemingly unrelated, are integrated into a closed-loop circular agricultural system by Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, Director of Thien Phuc Cooperative, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh, Director of Thien Phuc Agricultural and Medicinal Herbs Cooperative. Photo: Quang Linh.

"Simply put, the chickens eat the by-products from medicinal plants, and the chicken droppings are then fermented with microorganisms to create organic fertilizer for the medicinal plants. Thanks to this closed-loop process, the cooperative has control over its raw material supply, so there are no harmful substances, and consumers can rest assured," Ms. Binh explained.

Because products from farming and livestock raising are also related to ginseng, the female leader of Thien Phuc Cooperative has been nicknamed "Binh Ginseng" by the organic farming community in Thai Nguyen . Recently, Ms. Binh won third prize nationwide and second prize in the North at the Women's Entrepreneurship Competition with the theme "Creative Women Entrepreneurs and Green Transformation" 2024 organized by the Vietnam Women's Union.

According to Ms. Binh, in Dong Hy, many people grow medicinal herbs. Previously, the very location of the current Thien Phuc Cooperative was where people gathered medicinal herbs to sell to traders. After many years of exploitation, the valuable medicinal herb resources are at risk of depletion, and the soil is degraded due to a lack of proper care and restoration.

"I established the medicinal herb cooperative with the desire to connect and create a stable market for my family and hometown," Ms. Binh shared.

The Thien Phuc Cooperative's specialized cultivation area covers approximately 30 hectares, primarily growing Bo Chinh ginseng, Codonopsis pilosula, Morinda officinalis, and several other medicinal herbs. The cooperative has identified processed products made from Bo Chinh ginseng as its flagship product.

Bo Chinh ginseng was first known in Quang Binh province about 300 years ago. It is considered a precious folk medicine due to its rich nutritional content and special active compounds, and was one of the valuable products that people in the past cultivated to offer to the king.

Thien Phuc Agricultural and Medicinal Herbs Cooperative uses many devices and machines in cultivation. Photo: Quang Linh.

The roots of Bo Chinh ginseng contain many nutrients, are present in more than 20 traditional folk remedies, and can be used as an ingredient in the production of beverages, tinctures, and cosmetics.

The roots of the plant contain nutrients such as phytosterols, coumarins, fatty acids, organic acids, reducing sugars and uronic acid compounds, 11 amino acids, and 13 essential minerals for the body.

According to Mr. Nong Trong Son, a technician at Thien Phuc Cooperative, Bo Chinh ginseng plants will flower after 4 to 6 months of planting, and the tubers can be harvested after about a year and a half. If using the seeds for planting in subsequent seasons, the Bo Chinh ginseng garden should be at least 2 years old before harvesting the tubers.

“When we first started planting, the cooperative had many concerns about the soil quality. However, after getting to know the plants, I found that Bo Chinh ginseng is very suitable for the local soil and climate. In particular, using organic fertilizer produced by the cooperative itself helps the plants grow quickly and uniformly, reducing cultivation costs and labor because there are no pests or diseases,” Mr. Son said.

Since deciding to quit her job at Samsung to dedicate herself entirely to cultivating Bo Chinh ginseng in Thai Nguyen, Ms. Binh has invested nearly 4 billion VND to develop the cooperative, of which 2 billion VND was borrowed from the bank, leaving her currently facing a significant capital shortage.

Therefore, the female leader of Thien Phuc Cooperative hopes for the support of all levels and sectors to help the cooperative expand production. In particular, she hopes for mechanisms to support and provide preferential loans for the cooperative to invest in a cold drying system, a heat drying system, and a production line for braised chicken.

Source: https://nongsanviet.nongnghiep.vn/hop-tac-xa-duoc-lieu-khong-bo-di-thu-gi-d403167.html