Encouraging sustainable development of medicinal herbs

In order to encourage the sustainable development of medicinal plants in the province, Quang Tri has recently had many appropriate policies, programs, projects and support projects. Thanks to that, the area of ​​medicinal plant cultivation has been increasingly expanded, creating valuable medicinal products, helping people increase their income, contributing to the effective implementation of hunger eradication and poverty reduction in the locality.

Product packaging at Dinh Son Mai Thi Thuy Medicinal Herbs Company Limited - Photo: SUPPLY COMPANY

From a small medicinal herb production facility, with the attention and support of all levels, functional sectors and localities, in 2018, Ms. Mai Thi Thuy in Dinh Son village, Cam Nghia commune, Cam Lo district decided to expand production and establish Dinh Son Mai Thi Thuy Medicinal Herbs Company. With the passion to contribute to protecting health and improving the quality of life for the community, she constantly strives to research and develop high-quality medicinal products. In particular, in 2021, she invested in building a medicinal herb processing factory with a total cost of 5.4 billion VND, equipped with modern machinery and equipment for production.

In addition to purchasing raw materials from local people, to proactively produce, she invested in planting 10 hectares of Che Vang. Her company also received support from the One Commune One Product Program and the provincial industrial promotion program for packaging, boxes, machinery and equipment with a total cost of 300 million VND. “Thanks to support from state programs and projects, the company has more conditions to develop production, improve quality and diversify products; create jobs, increase income for many workers. For sustainable development, in the coming time, the company will continue to invest in expanding the factory, planting about 10 hectares of Che Vang, ensuring raw materials for on-site processing. At the same time, continue to purchase raw materials from local people.”

Implementing the Project to encourage the development of medicinal plants associated with the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program of Quang Tri province for the period 2022 - 2026, with a vision to 2030, the Department of Agriculture and Environment proactively coordinates with departments, branches and localities to organize the implementation of many policies to promote the development of medicinal plants in the province.

Support policies are implemented synchronously, especially the integration of resources from national target programs, Resolution 162/NQHDND of the province, OCOP program, ODA capital and projects for developing hilly and mountainous areas. Thanks to that, people and businesses are supported with seeds, materials, irrigation systems, cultivation techniques and infrastructure for medicinal plant production.

Up to now, the whole province has planted 326 hectares of concentrated medicinal herbs, reaching 163% of the plan, mainly in Cam Lo, Huong Hoa, Vinh Linh, Dakrong districts... with key medicinal plants such as: Solanum procumbens, Che Vang, An Xoa, Cajuputi, Cajuputi, Turmeric, Galangal, Lemongrass.

The model of growing medicinal plants under the canopy of natural forests and planted forests has been implemented in many localities in the province, contributing to the effective use of forestry land, while developing medicinal plants in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. The system of medicinal plant nurseries has been gradually formed and developed, contributing to proactively providing seed sources to expand the area of ​​medicinal plant cultivation in a concentrated and sustainable manner.

Currently, the whole province has 2 medicinal herb nurseries; more than 90 small and medium-sized medicinal herb processing and preparation facilities, contributing to creating income for people 4-5 times higher than traditional crops such as cassava, peanuts, vegetables and beans of all kinds; there are more than 511 OCOP products originating from medicinal herbs, especially 1 product meeting 5-star standards, 17 products meeting 4-star standards, 33 products meeting 3-star standards are recognized.

In the process of developing medicinal herb areas, many typical models of planting, linking production and processing of medicinal herbs have been formed and replicated in localities. In addition to the model of Dinh Son Mai Thi Thuy Medicinal Herbs Company Limited, a number of enterprises in the province have actively developed medicinal herbs such as: The model of planting 31 hectares of cajuput and five-veined cajuput to obtain essential oils for medicinal purposes of Bac Hien Luong Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company and Vinh Chap Ecological Agriculture Cooperative after 18 months of planting to harvest leaves to provide raw materials for cajuput essential oil production, with an average income of 30-45 million VND/ha/year and creating stable jobs for 3-5 workers/processing facility.

The model of growing Solanum procumbens, Che Vang, and An Xoa on 5-7 hectares of An Xuan Organic Medicinal Herbs Company Limited harvests 2-3 crops each year, with an average income of 40-50 million VND/ha/year, creating stable jobs for 3-4 workers. The model of growing Melaleuca oleracea and lemongrass on 10 hectares of Truong Son Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, after 18 months of planting, harvests leaves to provide raw materials for producing Melaleuca essential oil, with an average income of 40-50 million VND/ha/year and creating stable jobs for 4-6 workers.

Currently, in the province, there are over 10 cooperatives and enterprises participating in organizing joint production and consumption of medicinal products. Many localities have planned many medicinal development areas with an area of ​​536 hectares.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hong Phuong said: "To effectively organize and implement the project, in the coming time, the Department of Agriculture and Environment will focus on coordinating with localities to review and complete the planning for the development of medicinal material areas in the province until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

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.

Expanding raw material areas to meet GACP-WHO, GlobalGAP, Organic, Fairtrade standards... Deploying models of growing medicinal plants under forest canopy in a sustainable manner, taking advantage of ecological advantages, exploiting natural medicinal resources.

Strengthening production linkages along the value chain between growers - processing facilities - consumer enterprises through linkage and production cooperation contracts. Building closed models from cultivation, processing and consumption of medicinal plant products.

Promote investment and transfer of deep processing technology such as: essential oil extraction, concentration, drying, and packaging of medicinal products to increase added value; invest and transfer of deep processing technology such as essential oil extraction, concentration, drying, and packaging of medicinal products to increase added value.

Linking the development of medicinal herbs with promoting the historical values ​​and unique cultural values ​​of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic minorities, using traditional medicine in conjunction with community ecotourism .

Minh Long

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/khuyen-khich-phat-trien-duoc-lieu-theo-huong-ben-vung-194547.htm