YEN BAI Yen Bai aims to have a stable area of about 90,000 hectares by 2025, of which the area of cinnamon cultivation will be 35,000 hectares, about 20,000 hectares will be certified organic.
Cinnamon raw material area accounts for 50% of the country's area.
In the development of forestry economy in Yen Bai province, cinnamon is identified as a key crop because it has many uses. All parts of the cinnamon tree can be used and bring stable income to farmers. Cinnamon bark serves the pharmaceutical and spice (food) industries, small branches and leaves serve essential oil distillation, and the wood is used to produce furniture, handicrafts, etc.
A cinnamon production cycle can last over 20 years, depending on density. Cinnamon forests can be thinned and branches and leaves can be continuously harvested from the 4th year onwards. Cinnamon trees contribute to increasing forest cover and effectively protecting the ecological environment.
Yen Bai province has the largest cinnamon material area in the country. Photo: Thanh Tien.
Over the years, cinnamon trees have contributed to poverty reduction for people in highland and ethnic minority areas, contributing significantly to budget revenue and local economic development. With these values, the cinnamon area in Yen Bai province has increased rapidly in the past 3 decades, currently the largest in the country.
Up to now, the total cinnamon area of Yen Bai is about 90,000 hectares, accounting for about 50% of the cinnamon area of Vietnam. Cinnamon trees are mainly grown in Van Yen district (57,000 hectares), Tran Yen district (20,000 hectares) and some districts such as Van Chan (9,500 hectares), Luc Yen (nearly 6,000 hectares), Yen Binh (more than 2,000 hectares)...
Yen Bai province's dry cinnamon bark output in 2023 will reach over 18,000 tons; cinnamon wood harvested after exploitation will be over 200,000m3; nearly 86,000 tons of branches and leaves. Cinnamon products are a source of raw materials for enterprises processing pharmaceuticals, food, essential oils, utensils, handicrafts... to serve domestic consumption and export needs.
Mr. Kieu Tu Giang - Head of the Forest Protection Department of Yen Bai province said that in the past, people in the province cultivated cinnamon according to habit, without applying techniques such as digging holes, fertilizing, pruning leaves, etc. Choosing varieties based on experience led to degeneration of the variety. The use of fertilizers and pesticides in an estimated way to prevent pests and diseases without control, without following instructions, made cinnamon productivity low, and the amount of pesticide residue in cinnamon products was large, making it difficult to meet market demand. Therefore, cinnamon products were not sold at a good price, and the output was unstable.
Yen Bai province has been implementing many policies to support businesses and people in building cinnamon material areas in the direction of organic production. Photo: Thanh Tien.
To develop cinnamon sustainably and increase the value of cinnamon products, Yen Bai province aims to develop cinnamon growing areas by 2025 with a stable area of about 90,000 hectares. In which, the province strives to have a concentrated cinnamon growing area of 35,000 hectares, of which 20,000 hectares are certified organic.
Focus on developing concentrated, specialized cinnamon growing areas, complying with regulations on food safety, pest safety, environmental protection, and linking production with cinnamon product consumption.
In the period of 2021 - 2025, Yen Bai province has developed Resolution No. 69 of the Provincial People's Council on a number of policies to support the development of agricultural, forestry and fishery production. It focuses on supporting the development of organic cinnamon production linked along the value chain from production (cinnamon growing households) to processing and consumption of products (enterprises, cooperatives, cooperative unions), with inspection and supervision from local authorities. Cinnamon growing households, enterprises and cooperatives participating in organic cinnamon production chains, building projects with a raw material area of 1,000 hectares or more and approved by competent authorities will enjoy support policies.
Specifically, 100% support for the cost of assessment, determination of raw material areas, development of production and business plans, market development, cooperation mechanisms between processing facilities, cinnamon growers and local authorities, completion of certification registration dossiers, the support level is not more than 100 million VND/project. 100% support for the cost of assessment and certification of organic standards for production areas with a level not exceeding 0.5 million VND/ha. 100% support for the cost of sample design, purchase of stamps, labels, product packaging; certification of OCOP products and participation in domestic and foreign trade promotion activities, the support level is not more than 200 million VND/project.
To date, Yen Bai province has more than 14,500 hectares of cinnamon certified as organic. Photo: Thanh Tien.
Thanks to that, up to now, the area of cinnamon certified organic in Yen Bai province has reached more than 14,500 hectares, of which Van Yen district has nearly 11,000 hectares, Tran Yen nearly 3,500 hectares, Van Chan nearly 350 hectares. The area certified organic is all implemented by businesses in cooperation with local people.
Mr. Pham Trung Kien - Vice Chairman of Van Yen District People's Committee said that developing organic cinnamon has overcome the limitations of traditional farming. Using quality seed sources, properly implementing all technical processes from planting, fertilizing, caring, thinning, etc. helps to improve the productivity and quality of cinnamon products.
The application of biological measures in the prevention and control of pests and diseases on cinnamon has helped reduce the residue of chemical pesticides in cinnamon products, contributing to the protection of the ecological environment. Sustainable organic farming also meets the trend, helping to expand the consumption market, exploit new potential markets, and stabilize product output...
Sustainable forest certification for organic cinnamon
On average, cinnamon trees bring in thousands of billions of dong in revenue each year and create regular jobs for a large number of workers in Yen Bai province. The economic benefits that cinnamon trees bring are not small. However, a reality that is affecting the development and quality of cinnamon trees in the province today is the situation of rapid development, people grow cinnamon without following the plan.
In addition, there is also a situation where cinnamon growers exploit unreasonably and over-harvest. Many cinnamon growers have exploited massively, even completely exploited young cinnamon areas; cutting down trees and pruning branches unscientifically has negatively affected the growth and development of cinnamon trees and the quality of cinnamon products.
Yen Bai province has paid great attention to investing in building quality cinnamon seed gardens and forests. Photo: Thanh Tien.
Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Yen Bai province said that to ensure the quality of products produced and processed from cinnamon trees, Yen Bai province continues to focus on the sustainable development of cinnamon trees, focusing on strictly managing cinnamon seed sources. Planting forests with cinnamon seedlings of clear origin, improving productivity and forest quality. Implementing activities to preserve and maintain native cinnamon seed sources, recognizing forestry seed sources for seed forests and superior trees. Building cinnamon seed gardens to provide quality seed materials for mass production.
In addition, actively link cinnamon production to the value chain from planting, exploitation, processing and product consumption. Focus on deep processing and refined processing to bring high-value products. Plan cinnamon bark, cinnamon wood and cinnamon essential oil processing facilities in a sustainable manner, aiming to apply modern processing technologies and good quality management processes for products to improve quality and value. Replicating cinnamon development models in the direction of intensive farming, organic cinnamon production towards sustainable forest management certification.
In 2023, Yen Bai province recognized 2 cinnamon seedling forests in Van Yen district with an area of nearly 13 hectares; recognized 35 outstanding trees in Van Yen and Tran Yen districts. In 2024 and the following years, the province continues to encourage people and businesses to participate in building and developing native cinnamon seedling forests and gardens to expand the organic cinnamon material area sustainably.
Source
Comment (0)