Quang Nam (VNA) - The IntellectualProperty Agency of Vietnam, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, hasexpanded recognition of the Geographical Indication (GI) of Ngoc Linh forginseng root products grown in 15 communes of Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces.

The agency said that the ginseng GI, which was givento three districts of Tu Mo Rong, Dak Glei in Kon Tum and Nam Tra My in QuangNam in 2016, now will be expanded. The expansion will support thedevelopment of ginseng growing in the cool natural conditions on mountains reaching1,400m to 2,600m above sea level in the mountainous communes of the two provinces.

The Ngoc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis, orVietnamese ginseng) was found on Ngoc Linh Mountain on the border betweenthe Central Highlands province of Kon Tum and central Quang Nam province in thelate 1960s.

By 1979, Quang Nam province had established the TraLinh drug materials farm on the mountain, but it suffered from lowproductivity. Kon Tum province had also built up a conservation centre for the NgocLinh ginseng in 2004.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Nam Tra Mydistrict Ho Quang Buu said the expansion of the GI for the Ngoc Linh ginsengwould help the two provinces develop a strategy and win new investments topromote the Vietnamese ginseng national brand.

A master plan for development of Ngoc Linhginseng has been created in the two provinces, including the development of infrastructure and the production ofdrugs, essential oils, cosmetics, tonic drinks and capsules from ginseng.

Nam Tra My district alone has developed 27farms of Ngoc Linh ginseng on a total area of 932ha, growing 800,000 naturalginseng plants and herbs. These farms plan to produce 1,000 tonnes of theginseng by 2025. 

Currently, raw ginseng is sold for 40 millionVND (1,900 USD) per kilo, but the two provinces can only produce pharmaceuticalmaterials and energy drinks due to poor investment in processing technology.

The Vietnamese ginseng was one of eight preciousand endangered flora genes covered in Quang Nam province’s conservationprogramme for 2014-2020, including Ba Kich (poor ginseng orcodonopsis), pepper, cinnamon, large rattan and white corn.

Nam Tra My district, 100km south of Tam Ky cityin Quang Nam province, has hosted the annual Ngoc Linh Ginseng Festival since2017, while its monthly ginseng fair is organised in the first three days of amonth.   

About 26 businesses in Vietnam have registeredto invest 221 million USD in farming and production of the Ngoc Linhginseng in Nam Tra My district.-VNA