Thu Lum Commune: Focus on developing medicinal plants

Previously, people in Thu Lum commune mainly grew traditional crops such as corn, cassava, upland rice... However, due to the high mountainous terrain, after a period of cultivation, the land became infertile, crop productivity was low, and economic efficiency was low. Realizing the potential of the year-round cool climate and large forest land suitable for medicinal plants, the Party Committee and the commune government directed people to change the crop structure, focusing on bringing medicinal plants such as cardamom, cardamom, Lai Chau ginseng, seven-leaf flower... into planting under the forest canopy.

People of Thu Lum commune take care of the seven-leaf flower tree.

Mr. Ly Chuy Hu - Vice Chairman of Thu Lum Commune People's Committee said: "In recent years, the commune has focused on converting the crop and livestock structure to suit the local conditions. The commune has promoted and mobilized people to replace low-yield crops with crops of higher economic value. At the same time, it has coordinated with specialized agencies to provide technical guidance and support capital for people. Thanks to that, the productivity and quality of the commune's crops are increasingly stable, and the output is more favorable."

In order for medicinal plants to become a key crop, contributing to the sustainable development of the local economy, in recent times, the commune has coordinated to organize training courses on planting, caring, harvesting and processing medicinal plants for the people. Officers of the Commune Economic Department regularly go to the village to help people choose seedlings, guide the planting process, how to cultivate, weed, harvest fruit, dry, and ensure the quality of the output products.

At the same time, focus on connecting product consumption; actively coordinate with specialized units and purchasing enterprises to build a sustainable chain from production to consumption. Along with that, mobilize people to join groups and production cooperatives to form concentrated growing areas, in the direction of goods. From there, people have more conditions to exchange, learn experiences, reduce production costs and increase product consumption capacity.

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People of Thu Lum village (Thu Lum commune) share their experiences in growing cardamom.

Currently, the whole commune has more than 370 hectares of cardamom; 400 hectares of cardamom; nearly 2 hectares of Lai Chau ginseng, and seven-leaf flower in most of the commune's villages. In particular, cardamom growers proactively build drying kilns to preserve and maintain the standard flavor, ensuring product quality, selling for about 120,000 VND/kg; cardamom growers mainly sell fresh fruit for 75-80,000 VND/kg. From there, creating a stable livelihood, helping people feel secure in staying on the land and in the forest.

Thanks to investment in developing medicinal plants, many households in Thu Lum commune have an income of 100 - 200 million VND/year. Thereby, contributing to bringing the average income per capita of the commune to 35 million VND/year; the average annual poverty rate reduction is over 5%, people's lives are better than before, many families have the conditions to build spacious houses, buy means of production and daily life.

Mr. Chu Chu Pha's family in Pa Thang village is one of the pioneers in growing cardamom and cardamom under the forest canopy. Mr. Pha shared: "In the past, my family only grew corn and cassava, and the income was not enough to cover living expenses. Since switching to growing medicinal herbs, our annual income has reached nearly 70 million VND, and our life has improved a lot. Growing medicinal herbs under the forest does not require much effort, and the forest is preserved, and the soil is not as barren as before. In the coming time, we will continue to expand the area of cardamom cultivation, actively apply science and technology in planting, caring, preserving, and processing to sell at a higher price."

People of Thu Lum commune dry cardamom.

Identifying the development of medicinal plants as a long-term direction, in the coming time, the commune will continue to propagate and mobilize people to expand the area, especially in villages with cool soil and climate conditions such as: U Ma Tu Khoong, Lo Na, Pa Thang. Strengthen training, technology transfer, support seeds and fertilizers. At the same time, orient the establishment of cooperatives and cooperatives to create stable output, towards building typical local products. This will be the foundation for the commune to access support programs for OCOP product development, expanding markets inside and outside the province.

With the right orientation and the constant efforts of the Party Committee, government and people in the commune, the planting of medicinal plants in Thu Lum commune is showing clear effectiveness. Thereby, helping people increase their income, improve their lives, and contribute significantly to the protection of the ecological environment and sustainable forest development.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/kinh-te/xa-thu-lum-tap-trung-phat-trien-cay-duoc-lieu-1373664