Actively overcome difficulties and persistently develop Vietnamese ginseng

The Government assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to preside over the program for developing Vietnamese ginseng until 2030, with a vision to 2045. Regarding the development of Vietnamese ginseng, Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, had a quick talk with Thanh Nien reporter.

Minister, please tell us how the implementation of Decision 611/QD-TTg (abbreviated as Decision 611) on the Vietnamese Ginseng Development Program (SVN) to 2030, with a vision to 2045 is progressing, and what are the advantages and difficulties in the implementation? Minister Le Minh Hoan (photo) : Immediately after Decision 611 was issued on June 1, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, together with relevant ministries, branches and localities, actively and proactively implemented it. In the immediate future, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will focus on handling difficulties and obstacles in regulations on ginseng cultivation under forest canopy to create favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to rent forest environments to grow ginseng. It is expected that a decree will be submitted to the Government in the third quarter of 2024.

Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Gia Han

Localities proactively guide forest owners and enterprises to expand ginseng growing areas, integrate capital sources from many programs to support deployment and implementation. The SVN development program is the basis for localities with favorable natural conditions and forest resources to develop ginseng in a oriented way, attract resources, plan, develop ginseng growing areas as well as invest in processing. However, there are some difficulties that need to be further resolved such as: not diversifying forms to create conditions for investors to grow ginseng under the forest canopy, especially renting forest environments. The source of ginseng seedlings from seeds is still limited, infrastructure in ginseng growing areas is still difficult. Enterprises with potential to invest in planting as well as processing and building brands have not been attracted. The ginseng association has not been established to play the role of connecting enterprises and attracting investment. What are the biggest barriers to developing SVN into a real commodity, Minister? The area is still small, the planting is fragmented, the output is very low, the products are mainly used raw. To develop SVN into a truly high-value industry, a lot of work needs to be done and persistently implemented, because ginseng takes 7-8 years to harvest. The immediate barrier is the desire to expand the planting area, including planting ginseng under the forest canopy to attract investors and people to rent forests to grow ginseng, but there are no specific regulations. The Ministry is actively removing this obstacle. Another barrier is the source of investment capital to build infrastructure for ginseng growing areas, as well as the issue of deep processing, product diversification, brand building... According to Decision 611, we strive to exploit SVN output from 2030 to about 300 tons/year, but currently most ginseng is grown under the forest canopy, making it very difficult to achieve such output. How does the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development calculate so that ginseng can be grown according to an industrial model, not depending on the forest? That's right. To achieve large output and consistent quality, localities need to proactively attract and encourage businesses to invest in growing ginseng in areas outside the forest, where there are natural conditions suitable for ginseng to grow in greenhouses, greenhouses, and trellises on an industrial scale for intensive cultivation, with conditions to apply science and technology, mechanical measures, and control natural conditions and diseases. This is the experience of Korea in developing the ginseng industry. There is currently no national standard ginseng growing process (SOP), and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has not yet recognized SVN as a main crop. What is your opinion on this issue? Currently, Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces have issued a process for planting and caring for Ngoc Linh ginseng suitable to the characteristics and conditions of the locality. Similarly, Lai Chau province has issued technical instructions on growing Lai Chau ginseng. According to the provisions of the Law on Cultivation: The main crop species is a commonly grown species, important for economic development, and needs to be strictly managed. Currently, the 6 main crops are: rice, corn, coffee, oranges, grapefruit, bananas. This list will change according to each development period.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is grown in the mountainous district of Nam Tra My (Quang Nam). Manh Cuong

Decision 611 also mentions the organization of implementation and integration with issued mechanisms and policies to create conditions for the development of SVN. Could the Minister tell us about the actual situation of this implementation and integration? Integrating the ginseng program with issued mechanisms and policies is very necessary in the implementation process, helping to avoid duplication of funds as well as combining and optimizing investment capital from other programs and projects, especially funds from the state budget. For example, localities have integrated ginseng cultivation into the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority Mountainous Areas, 2021 - 2030 period. Accordingly, support of up to 1 billion VND/project for growing precious medicinal herbs (including SVN) or loans not exceeding 96 billion VND for projects on growing precious medicinal herbs, not exceeding 92 billion VND for projects on breeding centers (Decree 28/2022/ND-CP, dated April 26, 2022 of the Government on preferential credit policies to implement the above program). Currently, some localities are starting to implement and integrate capital from the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority Mountainous Areas such as: investing in medicinal plant breeding centers in Nam Tra My District (Quang Nam), Tu Mo Rong District (Kon Tum), which are two main areas growing Ngoc Linh ginseng. Thank you! Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tich-cuc-go-kho-kien-tri-thuc-hien-phat-trien-cay-sam-viet-nam-185240804225235895.htm