"Treasure" of medicinal herbs from the green forest

Farmers in Lao Cai grow Panax pseudoginseng. Photo: Trong Bao

With a cool climate and mineral-rich soil, Panax notoginseng in the Northern Midlands and Mountains is a treasure trove of medicinal herbs, both increasing farmers' income and opening up vast export opportunities to international markets.

Improve rural economy

In the middle of a foggy morning in Moc Chau, Son La , Mr. Lam carefully dug up each Panax pseudoginseng root in the garden, each root heavy with soil and carrying a year of meticulous care. On harvest days, his whole family, including children and relatives, participated, both checking the quality and preparing for classification and transportation to medicinal herb warehouses in the region. "This year, Panax pseudoginseng has grown well, the quality of the roots is consistent, the selling price is higher than previous years, helping my family have a stable income all year round," he said excitedly.

Not only Mr. Lam's family, many households in Moc Chau and neighboring areas are also attached to Panax notoginseng as a part of their lives. Mrs. Mai, a farmer in Tan Lap, Hoa Binh, said that the harvest days are the busiest but also the happiest time of the year. "We harvest and sort the tubers to send to medicinal herb warehouses, and exchange care experiences with each other. Thanks to Panax notoginseng, many families have a stable income and their children can go to school," said Mrs. Mai.

Small stories about farmers in medicinal herb warehouses have created a vivid picture of the connection between nature, people and the market, where Panax notoginseng is not only a medicinal plant but also an economic bridge, improving community life and creating a foundation for a sustainable development of the medicinal herb industry.

According to Ms. Dao Thi Hanh, a medicinal herb expert in Son La, Panax notoginseng in the Northern Midlands and Mountains has a superior saponin content and stable quality thanks to the unique natural conditions, making it one of the most valuable medicinal resources in Vietnam. Medicinal herb warehouses in Son La, Hoa Binh and Lao Cai not only purchase, classify and process products but also implement modern preservation methods, apply organic growing techniques, control humidity and storage temperature, to preserve the medicinal value and prolong the shelf life.

Thanks to these solutions, Panax notoginseng products from the Northern Midlands and Mountains are increasingly appreciated by the international market, opening up export opportunities to many Asian and European countries. Moreover, linking medicinal herb warehouses also helps to synchronize the processing process, improve preservation capacity and create favorable conditions for building the Vietnamese Panax notoginseng brand, contributing to increasing the value of agricultural products and stabilizing long-term income for people.

Enhancing the value of medicinal herbs

However, in reality, the development of Panax pseudoginseng still faces many challenges. Many households still exploit in a fragmented manner, lacking standard processing and preservation procedures, making the product quality uneven and difficult to compete in the international market. The pressure to protect forests also forces people to consider between economic benefits and maintaining the natural ecosystem.

To overcome these difficulties, localities such as Son La, Hoa Binh and Lao Cai have implemented many synchronous solutions. People are instructed to grow organic ginseng, apply modern processing procedures and build their own brands, helping to control quality, maintain valuable genetic resources and increase product value. Many cooperatives and businesses connect directly with farmers, creating a supply chain from planting, harvesting, processing to distribution, bringing stable economic benefits to the community.

At the same time, the development of processed products from Panax notoginseng such as powder, tea, and nutritional capsules is focused on, helping to increase added value and diversify the consumption market. Some localities also apply traceability technology (QR code, blockchain) to ensure quality, creating trust for domestic and international consumers. Departments of agriculture also organize seminars, exhibitions of medicinal herbs and training on cultivation and processing techniques for people, raising awareness, improving product quality and creating strong brands.

According to Ms. Dao Thi Hanh, Panax not only is a precious medicinal herb but also opens up many long-term economic opportunities for the Northern Midlands and Mountains. When people are properly trained in standard cultivation, harvesting and processing techniques, and are also instructed in forest protection and ecosystem maintenance, they will not only produce high-quality Panax not only but also participate in a sustainable economic model, protect natural resources and improve community life.

In addition, building the Vietnamese Panax pseudoginseng brand is considered a key strategy to expand the international market. Localities are aiming to create their own mark through organic certification, good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards and product traceability. Participating in international medicinal fairs and exhibitions helps products be introduced directly to partners, increasing the opportunity to sign export contracts. The goal is to turn Vietnamese Panax pseudoginseng into a "national medicinal herb", recognized by domestic and foreign customers as a high-quality product, while strengthening the reputation of the Vietnamese medicinal herb industry.

“With these synchronous efforts, the Northern Midlands and Mountains region can completely become the capital of high-quality Panax pseudoginseng, turning natural treasures into sustainable economic resources, while preserving forests and mountains and raising the value of Vietnamese medicinal herbs on the world map,” Ms. Hanh hopes.

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Source: https://nhandan.vn/kho-bau-duoc-lieu-tu-rung-xanh-post910390.html