The fragrant cinnamon scent of Tra Bong

(Baquangngai.vn) - At this time, the Cor ethnic people in Tra Bong district are in the cinnamon harvesting season. With its distinctive aroma, Tra Bong cinnamon is increasingly asserting its strong position in the market.

These days, the scent of cinnamon fills the air everywhere along the inter-village and inter-commune roads in Tra Bong, the "cinnamon capital." It's the cinnamon harvesting season, so cinnamon growers are all busy. Some are peeling cinnamon bark in the fields, while others are taking advantage of the sunny weather to dry the bark for sale to traders. Currently, fresh cinnamon bark sells for 15-16 thousand dong/kg, while dried cinnamon sells for 40-45 thousand dong/kg.

The Cor people in the highlands of Tra Bong harvest cinnamon and carry it in baskets to sell to traders.

After a day of harvesting in his cinnamon plantation, Mr. Ho Van Sang from Huong Tra commune brought home nearly 20 kg of cinnamon bark to sell to traders. Mr. Sang excitedly shared that his family owns over 5,000 cinnamon trees, of which about 600 are ready for harvest. With the current price of cinnamon, he estimates he will earn tens of millions of dong this season.

According to Mr. Sang, the current price of cinnamon is still very low, so the profit from cinnamon cultivation is not high. "In previous years, the price of fresh cinnamon sometimes reached 20-25 thousand VND/kg, and all cinnamon growers were very happy," Mr. Sang shared.

Cinnamon trees provide people with a stable source of income.

Although cinnamon prices this year are lower than expected, people are still happy because of the stable income from cinnamon trees. "Since the beginning of the season, I have harvested cinnamon bark and sold it to traders for nearly 10 million VND. Thanks to the money from selling cinnamon, I can make ends meet. Currently, my family still has more than 600 cinnamon trees ready for harvest. Hopefully, in the near future, cinnamon prices will increase so that we people can have more income," shared Ms. Ho Thi Truc from Tra Hiep commune with a happy smile.

In Tra Bong, the "cinnamon capital," there are two cinnamon harvests each year. The first runs from the end of February to the end of April, which the Cor people call the "fairy season," and the second from July to August. "During this period, the cinnamon bark is easy to peel and contains a lot of essential oil, so harvesting needs to be done quickly, because out of season, the bark will stick tightly to the trunk and be very difficult to peel," Ms. Truc explained.

Tra Bong cinnamon is among the top 10 famous natural specialties of Vietnam.

Along with other crops, cinnamon is one of the main crops in Tra Bong district. Almost every Cor ethnic minority household grows cinnamon. Even those with the fewest trees cultivate over 1,000, while some have several hectares. Tra Bong cinnamon, once a traditional crop, has become an important resource in sustainable economic development and poverty reduction for local farmers. Thanks to cinnamon cultivation, many households here have escaped poverty and become wealthy.

According to statistics, Tra Bong district currently has approximately 5,500 hectares of cinnamon plantations. Along with maintaining the current cinnamon cultivation area, Tra Bong district is implementing programs and plans to expand the cinnamon growing area by 400-500 hectares each year, striving to reach 6,000 hectares by 2030. This goal not only helps increase production and supply of cinnamon, but also creates more job opportunities and improves income for the people, especially the Cor ethnic minority in the highland communes.

Traders buy cinnamon to process and sell on the market.

According to Tran Van Suong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tra Bong district, along with supporting the provision of quality seedlings, the locality has been and continues to promote the dissemination of information and encourage people to expand the area of ​​cinnamon cultivation, while applying science and technology to the planting and care process to increase productivity and product quality, maintaining and enhancing the brand of Tra Bong cinnamon.

Not only is it a traditional crop of the Cor ethnic group, Tra Bong cinnamon has been recognized as a national specialty and honored by the Asian Record Organization as an Asian gift specialty. As one of the four key cinnamon-growing regions in the country, with an annual harvest ranging from 1,800 to 2,000 tons, Tra Bong cinnamon not only meets domestic consumption needs but also reaches the international market.

Trà Bồng cinnamon has a distinctive aroma and contains a high amount of essential oil.

Tra Bong cinnamon products are highly valued in the market due to their unique aroma and high essential oil content, making them popular both domestically and internationally in countries such as China, France, India, and South Korea. Currently, cinnamon essential oil and handicrafts made from cinnamon bark, such as vases, cups, tea boxes, toothpicks, and incense sticks, are in high demand.

Text and photos: LINH DAN

Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/kinh-te/nong-nghiep/202503/ngat-thom-huong-que-tra-bong-3da4e88/