Ngoc Linh peak, located adjacent to Quang Nam province and Kon Tum province, is at an altitude of more than 2,600 m above sea level and possesses a rare medicinal herb: Ngoc Linh ginseng, Vietnam's national treasure. From a "hidden medicine" of the Xe Dang people, Ngoc Linh ginseng has now helped hundreds of highland households change their lives, many of whom have become billionaires.
These days, employees of Viet Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company (located in village 2, Tra Linh commune, Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam) are busy harvesting ripe red ginseng seeds.
The harvested seeds will be classified, counted and germinated for the new crop. The germinated ginseng plants will serve to expand the planting area on the highest mountain of the Truong Son range.
Ripe red Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds
With favorable weather, Ngoc Linh ginseng this year grows well, produces good fruit, and has few flat seeds.
Ripe Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds are red with black dots on the top. The number of seeds varies depending on the flower, each flower usually has between 30 and 100 firm seeds.
In addition to ginseng roots, Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds also have a very high economic value. Currently, the price of each seed is from 70,000 VND, sometimes up to 150,000 VND. With each can of about 1,000 seeds, the price is also nearly 100 million VND/can.
Every April, ginseng plants begin to flower, each plant has only one flower, and seeds are harvested from September to October.
Ngoc Linh ginseng plants must rely on the forest canopy to avoid the harsh sunlight, rely on the ground cover from fallen forest leaves to take root; then rely on the year-round drizzle, fresh air, suitable temperature and humidity to grow.
After harvesting, flowers and leaves will be cut to put Ngoc Linh ginseng into dormancy.
Ngoc Linh ginseng is a rare medicinal herb, both flowers and leaves. Because the growing conditions of Ngoc Linh ginseng are very special, its nutrient content is high.
Ginseng seeds are dressed in “plastic armor” to avoid being eaten by rats and birds.
Nam Tra My district has 1,500 hectares of Ngoc Linh ginseng, more than 1,500 households in 7 communes are registering to plant an additional 2,500 hectares.
This year's seed harvest season, Viet Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company harvested about 35,000 seeds.
Currently, Viet Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company is growing Ngoc Linh ginseng on an area of nearly 6 hectares.
Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds are a favorite food of mice. Therefore, to protect the seed clusters from being bitten by this animal, employees of Viet Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company must use spherical plastic bottles with holes on the outside during the entire development process of the seeds until harvest. Ngoc Linh ginseng plants from 5 to 7 years old begin to produce seeds.
Staff meticulously harvest Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds
Mr. Nguyen Mau Tam, Deputy Director of Viet Linh Ginseng Joint Stock Company, said that after harvesting, the collected seeds will be screened and classified. Quality seeds will be immediately sown to ensure a high germination rate. “The quality of Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds is one of the important factors affecting the germination process and the rate of seedling formation. In order for ginseng to produce red ripe seeds, the care process is also quite difficult. Ngoc Linh ginseng depends a lot on the weather and climate,” said Mr. Tam.
After the rain in the forest, the rare rays of midday sunlight penetrate through the canopy, shining diagonal rays of sunlight on the ginseng garden in the seeding period, making the ginseng seed clusters even more radiantly beautiful.
The price of Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds in recent years has not been as high as in previous years. However, according to many ginseng garden owners, due to the increasing demand for seeds from people, the price is likely to increase again.
A Ngoc Linh ginseng plant has nearly 200 seeds.
When it is time to harvest ginseng, the bunches of fruit are previously covered with perforated plastic boxes or mesh bags to protect them from harsh weather and damage from birds and rats.
Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds are harvested manually, then counted and classified, divided into small packages, each package contains 800 - 1,000 seeds and the quality of each package is marked.
Clusters of ginseng seeds sway in the wind in the sunlight shining through the forest canopy.
Ngoc Linh ginseng seeds usually grow concentrated in the center of the canopy, after 2 months they start to change from green to dark green, yellow green, and turn red when ripe.
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