Mong people in Tay Son develop green economy from purple cardamom

bna_2(2).jpg — Purple cardamom grows in the fields in Tay Son commune (Ky Son). Photo: TP

For many years, the purple cardamom fruit has been compared by the people of the Ky Son highlands to the “purple gold” of the old forest. During the harvest season, the Mong people in Tay Son wade through streams and climb slopes into the deep forest to pick cardamom fruit. The purchase price ranges from 60,000 - 80,000 VND/kg fresh, if dried, the figure is up to 400,000 - 500,000 VND/kg. Each cardamom season, some people sell tens of millions of VND from harvesting this herbal fruit...

Mr. Mua Xai Co, a resident of Lu Thanh village, said: “There used to be a lot of cardamom in the deep forest. It was harvested in July and August. We went to the forest, picked it and brought it back to the traders. Any household that went to the forest diligently and worked hard could earn 5-10 million VND/season from this fruit.”

242178798_1205439583269633_279210433853107796_n(1).jpg — Purple cardamom is purchased at a high price, 400,000-500,000 VND/kg dried. Photo: KL

But in recent years, wild cardamom has become increasingly scarce. Therefore, many households in the village have come up with a way to bring cardamom back to grow on the fields and plantations around their houses.

Mr. Mua Ba Lu - Secretary of the Party cell of Lu Thanh village (Tay Son commune, Ky Son) said: "In the village, many households bring cardamom from the forest to plant near their homes. Typically, the households of Mr. Mua Ba Do, Mua Ba Vu... have thousands of purple cardamom plants planted in peach gardens, growing well."

Seizing that advantage, in 2024, Tay Son commune will deploy a large-scale purple cardamom growing model, part of Project 2 of the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction.

bna_1(2).jpg — In 2024, purple cardamom will be planted in concentrated areas in Tay Son commune. Photo: TP

With a total support budget of 660 million VND, 70 poor and near-poor Mong households in the commune were provided with seeds, fertilizers, and training in planting and care techniques. Nearly 70,000 purple cardamom plants were intercropped in peach gardens, under the canopy of secondary natural forests and 2-3 year old planted forests. The survival rate of the plants reached over 95%.

Mr. Mua Ba Phenh, Lu Thanh village, shared: “Before, we had to go far into the forest, it was hard and there wasn’t much. Now, with the support of seedlings, we can plant them right on our fields. The plants are easy to grow, just need to clear the land and they will grow well.” Indeed, this type of tree is not picky about soil, easy to grow, has few pests and diseases, only needs to be fertilized once a year, and has the ability to grow “in clusters” – once it takes root, it will spread into large clumps, overpowering weeds and covering the ground.

Purple cardamom is a shrub that grows well under the forest canopy, helping to prevent erosion and landslides. Photo: KL

According to calculations, with an estimated yield of 1-1.5 tons of fresh fruit/ha/year, when the tree enters the stable harvest stage (from the 3rd year onwards), growers can earn 50-70 million VND/ha, many times more than growing corn or cassava. Not only does it bring economic value, purple cardamom also contributes to forest preservation. Because it contains a lot of water and has a soft stem, this plant helps reduce the risk of forest fires in the dry season. The horizontal root system helps to hold the soil and prevent erosion. Intercropping with peach, tea or under the acacia canopy also creates a multi-layered vegetation ecosystem, both protecting the environment and helping the soil to be loose and retain moisture well.

Mr. Vu Ba Re - Vice Chairman of Tay Son Commune People's Committee, said: "The project has breathed new life into the commune's agricultural production. People are very excited because there are trees that are easy to grow, easy to sell, and are associated with forest protection, suitable for the natural conditions here. In the near future, we will continue to expand the area, aiming to form a specialized purple cardamom growing area in Tay Son."

In the fields and farms of the Mong people, purple cardamom is being grown experimentally. Photo: TP

As the trend of consuming natural medicinal herbs is increasing, especially those with medicinal value such as purple cardamom used in Oriental medicine to treat digestive, respiratory and anti-inflammatory diseases, the development of raw material areas in mountainous areas such as Tay Son is very necessary. On the high fields in Ky Son, purple cardamom bushes are taking root and growing green under the forest canopy, bringing with them the hope of escaping poverty from this indigenous herb…/.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/nguoi-mong-o-tay-son-phat-trien-kinh-te-xanh-tu-cay-sa-nhan-tim-10296078.html