Our country is blessed by nature with many types of spices such as pepper, chili, cinnamon, star anise, etc. with export turnover of billions of USD each year.

Among them, star anise is considered a “treasure” given by heaven, as only a few countries in the world are lucky enough to possess it. Star anise is known as the “trillion petal” because of its high economic value, and is sought after by many countries.

According to the World Spice Association, Vietnam has a valuable spice plant, with annual output among the top in the world. That is star anise. Vietnam is a potential supplier to the world spice and flavoring market.

Star anise is considered a "treasure" because it is a native plant that very few countries in the world can grow. In fact, star anise is almost exclusively found in Vietnam and China. Each year, only two crops of star anise can be harvested.

According to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), in 2023, Vietnam exported 16,136 tons of star anise, up 26% compared to 2022, earning 83 million USD.

According to VPA, the average export price of star anise in 2023 will reach 6,376 USD/ton, down 8% compared to 2022.

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Star anise is a very potential export item (Photo: moit)

India and China are the two main export markets of Vietnamese star anise, estimated at 7,860 tons (accounting for 48.7%) and 4,116 tons (accounting for 25.5%).

In the domestic market, the price of dried star anise ranges from 150,000-290,000 VND/kg, depending on quality.

According to data from Tridge Company, China, Vietnam and India are currently the dominant suppliers of star anise worldwide. Of these, only Vietnam and China can produce large quantities due to favorable conditions.

Star anise is native to Southeast Asia, found in abundance in the Northeast of Vietnam and Southern China.

In Vietnam, star anise is grown mainly in the northern border provinces such as Lang Son and Cao Bang with an annual output of more than 16,000 tons.

Among them, Lang Son is known as the 'capital' of star anise in our country. Star anise in Lang Son is mainly grown in the districts of Van Quan, Binh Gia, Bac Son, Trang Dinh, Chi Lang, Van Lang and Cao Loc. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the French have built an anise essential oil processing factory in Lang Son.

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Star anise has 6-8 petals, arranged in a star shape (Photo: Pham Cong)

According to the Vietnam Forestry Science Institute, star anise is a medium-sized tree, 2-6m tall, with a slender diamond-shaped shape, green all year round, and a straight trunk. The tree is only harvested twice a year, so star anise flowers are rare and even more precious.

Star anise flowers bloom twice a year but there is no clear boundary. The first crop usually takes place in June, called the four-season crop. The second crop is around August-September, called the season-season crop.

Normally, star anise, if planted and cared for well, will flower after 4-5 years of planting and can be harvested for several decades. The yield of star anise from the 4th to 6th year is about 0.5-1 kg/tree. From the 20th year onwards, the star anise will give a stable yield, up to 40-50 kg/tree.

This plant does not require much care, just take the seeds or seedlings and plant them in the ground and let the plant grow on its own.

Normally, star anise will have 6-8 petals, arranged in a star shape with a diameter of 2.5-3cm, each petal carries a small, smooth egg-shaped seed inside. Most of the star anise after harvest will be dried and used as dried flowers, only a small part is processed into essential oil.

Star anise is commonly used in culinary preparation and as a medicine.

According to Oriental medicine, star anise has a sweet taste, aromatic smell, spicy and hot properties. Star anise has the effect of curing stomachache, vomiting, flu...

Star anise essential oil is a precious raw material for producing massage and digestive medicines, and for processing cosmetics and fragrances.

This flower has a particularly attractive fragrance and is considered an indispensable spice in both Eastern and Western cuisine.

In the West, star anise oil is often added to some wines. It is also used as a flavoring in desserts and baked goods. In Vietnam, star anise is used as a spice in pho, curry, soups, stews, etc.

Wild spices that were once cheap as free suddenly became expensive. Previously, these spices were only a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of VND per kilogram, or even given away for free. But now, they have become expensive, some of which cost up to several million VND per kilogram.