Medicinal plants grown in the forests of the Central Highlands region. (Photo: THU HA)

Accordingly, Decree 183/2025/ND-CP supplements Section 4a (following Section 4, Chapter II of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP) on the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants in special-use forests, protection forests, and production forests.

This includes regulations clearly defining the form, methods, and content of plans for cultivating, developing, and harvesting medicinal plants in forests; the procedures for appraisal, approval, or adjustment of plans for cultivating, developing, and harvesting medicinal plants in forests for forest owners who are organizations, households, individuals, or communities; and the leasing of forest environments for cultivating, developing, and harvesting medicinal plants in forests for forest owners who are organizations.

Cultivating, developing, and harvesting medicinal plants in the forest ensures the maintenance of forest area and quality.

In principle, the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants in forests must ensure the maintenance of forest area, forest quality, natural succession, and the intended use of the forest; it must not result in the loss of State ownership of forests and natural resources on the surface and underground, and must comply with the provisions of this Decree.

Medicinal plants cultivated and grown in forests must have ecological characteristics suitable to the site conditions of the area, and must be included in the list of medicinal plants with high medical and economic value issued by the Minister of Health , or other medicinal plants with high medical and economic value in the locality as decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Do not exploit the cultivation and development of medicinal plants to harvest wild medicinal plants in the forest; harvested medicinal plant products must be transported out of the forest and must not be soaked, fermented, dried, preserved, or processed within the forest.

The management regime for the exploitation, conditions, and issuance of registration numbers for cultivation facilities of endangered, rare, and precious medicinal plant species in forests shall be implemented in accordance with the law on the management of endangered, rare, and precious forest plants and animals and the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Animals and Plants.

In the case of production forests that are planted forests invested in by the forest owner, the forest owner has the right to decide on the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants, but is not allowed to change the intended use of the forest.

Methods of cultivating, growing, and harvesting medicinal plants in the forest.

For special-use forests and protection forests, forest owners who are organizations may independently organize, cooperate, or lease the forest environment to organizations or individuals for the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and other relevant laws, based on a medicinal plant cultivation, development, and harvesting plan approved by the competent state agency, consistent with the sustainable forest management plan.

Forest owners are communities, households, and individuals who may organize themselves or cooperate and link with organizations and individuals to cultivate, develop, and harvest medicinal plants in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and other relevant laws, based on a cultivation, development, and harvesting plan approved by the competent state agency.

It is prohibited to cultivate, grow, or harvest medicinal plants in strictly protected zones and ecological restoration zones of national parks, nature reserves, and species-habitat conservation areas; in upstream protection forests with slopes exceeding 30 degrees; and in coastal erosion areas belonging to windbreak, sand dune, and wave-breaking/land reclamation protection forests.

In cases where medicinal plants are cultivated, grown, and harvested in upstream protection forests with slopes exceeding 30 degrees, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment or the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune shall submit a detailed assessment report on the location and site suitable for cultivating medicinal plants while ensuring the safety and protective capacity of the forest (in terms of preventing flash floods, landslides, protecting water sources, and protecting agricultural production) to the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province for consideration and approval before approving the plan for cultivating, growing, and harvesting medicinal plants as stipulated in point d, clause 3, Article 32d and point d, clause 3, Article 32e of this Decree.

For production forests, whether natural or planted, where the State is the representative owner, the forest owner is an organization that may independently organize, cooperate, enter into joint ventures or partnerships, or lease the forest environment to organizations or individuals for the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and other relevant laws, based on a cultivation, development, and harvesting plan approved by the competent state agency, consistent with the sustainable forest management plan.

Forest owners are communities, households, and individuals who cooperate, enter into joint ventures, or form partnerships with organizations and individuals to cultivate, develop, and harvest medicinal plants in accordance with the provisions of this Decree and other relevant laws, based on a cultivation, development, and harvesting plan approved by a competent state agency.

Forest owners, including communities, households, and individuals, who independently organize the cultivation, development, and harvesting of medicinal plants, are free to make decisions regarding their cultivation, development, and harvesting in accordance with the law. It is encouraged that forest owners, whether households, individuals, communities, or groups, develop and implement plans for cultivating, developing, and harvesting medicinal plants.

Methods for cultivating, growing, and harvesting medicinal plants in the forest.

For special-use forests: planting should be scattered or in clusters to ensure even distribution within the forest plot; the total area for cultivating and developing medicinal plants should not exceed one-third of the forest plot area.

For protection forests and production forests: implement the integrated forestry, agriculture, and fisheries production method as prescribed in Articles 25 and 30 of this Decree.

Forest owners or organizations/individuals leasing forest land for cultivating medicinal plants may decide to harvest medicinal plants grown in the forest in accordance with the provisions of this Decree.

Before harvesting, forest owners or organizations/individuals must submit a Medicinal Plant Harvest Information Form to the local Forest Protection Department using Form No. 08 in Appendix IB issued with this Decree for management in accordance with the law.

This Decree shall take effect from August 15, 2025.

According to nhandan.vn

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/khong-loi-dung-hoat-dong-nuoi-trong-phat-trien-cay-duoc-lieu-de-thu-hoach-cay-duoc-lieu-tu-nhien-trong-rung-155262.html