People in the highlands of Quang Ngai enter the cinnamon harvest season

Over the past month, the Cor people in the mountainous district of Tra Bong (Quang Ngai) have been busy harvesting the first cinnamon crop of 2025 to sell to traders.

"Since the beginning of the season, I have harvested cinnamon bark and sold it to traders for nearly 10 million VND. Thanks to selling cinnamon, my family has more income to cover their living expenses. There are currently about 600 more cinnamon trees ready to be harvested," said Ms. Ho Thi Truc (Tra Hiep commune).

People bring fresh cinnamon bark to the collection point to sell to traders. Photo: Van Ha

This year, cinnamon prices are quite low compared to previous years, only about 16,000 VND/kg of fresh cinnamon, 40,000 - 45,000 VND/kg of dry cinnamon. Cinnamon growers expect prices to increase in the coming time to improve their family economy.

Every year, the Cor people in Tra Bong harvest cinnamon in two batches, the first batch from late February to the end of April, the second batch from July to August.

Cinnamon is a perennial woody plant, mature trees can be over 15m tall, about 40cm in diameter. Compared to many other types grown elsewhere, cinnamon trees in Tra Bong district have a characteristic aroma, spicy taste and contain one of the highest essential oil content in the world.

With a special scent and high essential oil content, cinnamon is also used as a spice, flavoring, and handicraft (pots, cups, tea boxes; toothpicks, incense sticks, etc.) to extract essential oils for oriental medicine.

The cinnamon region in Tra Bong has existed for a long time, and is one of the four famous cinnamon regions in Vietnam. If Tra My cinnamon of Quang Nam is used with the beautiful name "Cao son ngoc que", then Tra Bong cinnamon of Quang Ngai is known as "Tu dai danh medica".

Tra Bong cinnamon is in the top 10 famous natural specialties of Vietnam. Photo: Van Ha.

Cinnamon trees have been associated with the lives of the Cor people in Tra Bong for hundreds of years and are grown in their gardens, on high fields, and in deep forests. Initially, each family only had a few trees, which later developed into cinnamon gardens, cinnamon hills, and cinnamon forests.

For a long time, cinnamon has been the main crop in Tra Bong district, helping many households escape poverty. Almost every Cor family here grows cinnamon, some owning several hectares of cinnamon.

"Cinnamon trees are purchased by factories located right in the district and processed into many products. With stable output, cinnamon trees are cared for, preserved, and expanded by families and Cor ethnic households here every year," said Mr. Ho Van Tham (Tra Hiep commune, Tra Bong district).

Tra Bong cinnamon was granted a certificate of collective trademark registration “Tra Bong cinnamon – Tay Tra” by the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology) in June 2009. In 2012, Tra Bong cinnamon was one of four specialties of Quang Ngai that was recognized as a Vietnamese record. This type of cinnamon is in the Top 10 famous natural specialties of Vietnam.

In 2013, the Asian Record Organization continued to recognize Tra Bong cinnamon specialty as an Asian record. The establishment of the Asian record marked a great opportunity for Tra Bong to expand cinnamon production towards commodities, creating jobs and increasing income for the people of Quang Ngai mountainous area.

Dried cinnamon is currently priced at 45,000 VND/kg. Photo: Van Ha.

Along with maintaining the current cinnamon growing area, Tra Bong district is implementing programs and plans to expand the cinnamon growing area by 400 - 500 hectares per year, striving to increase the cinnamon growing area to 6,000 hectares by 2030. This goal not only helps increase output and cinnamon supply, but also creates many job opportunities and increases income for people, especially the Cor people in the highland communes.

“The locality continues to promote propaganda and mobilize people to expand cinnamon growing areas, apply science and technology to the planting and care process to increase productivity and product quality, thereby maintaining and enhancing the brand of Tra Bong cinnamon,” said Vice Chairman of Tra Bong District People's Committee Tran Van Suong.

Source: https://nongnghiep.vn/nguoi-dan-vung-cao-quang-ngai-vao-vu-thu-hoach-que-d746620.html