Building a common brand for Vietnamese ginseng or making Ngoc Linh ginseng and Lai Chau ginseng separately?

Many delegates at the conference said that we should build a Vietnamese ginseng brand - Photo: C. TUE

Mr. Tran Quang Bao, Director of the Forestry Department, raised this issue at the seminar on developing Vietnamese ginseng, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the afternoon of August 15.

Building Vietnamese ginseng brand for mutual development

According to Mr. Bao, there are many different views on the issue of building ginseng brands in Vietnam today.

"In Korea, it is commonly called Korean ginseng. The government brand has government ginseng. The growing regions have different geographical indications, different ages and prices.

In Vietnam, if we talk about precious ginseng, it is Ngoc Linh ginseng, but now there are also Lai Chau ginseng and Langbiang ginseng. So should we approach building a Vietnamese ginseng brand or follow the direction of different brands such as Ngoc Linh ginseng and Lai Chau ginseng?" - Mr. Bao said.

Mr. Ngo Tan Hung, vice president of Lai Chau Ginseng Association, said that we should approach Vietnamese ginseng in order to build a brand and promote it internationally.

"If we keep doing this, we will never be able to build a Vietnamese ginseng brand. In Quang Nam and Kon Tum, Ngoc Linh ginseng is better advertised and promoted, while Lai Chau ginseng is not as good.

Japanese and Korean people came to Lai Chau to visit the ginseng garden. They asked what Ngoc Linh ginseng was, what Lai Chau ginseng was and what Vietnamese ginseng was.

We should build a brand, promote and advertise Vietnamese ginseng for mutual development" - Mr. Hung said.

Mr. Hung also cited the fact that Lai Chau ginseng cannot be processed deeply at present, because there is currently only one study on Ngoc Linh ginseng with its uses and dosage, but Lai Chau ginseng has not yet been published, so no one can make functional foods with Lai Chau ginseng.

Therefore, Mr. Hung recommended that relevant ministries and branches need to conduct research on Lai Chau ginseng in terms of its uses and dosage, or have joint regulations to recognize Ngoc Linh ginseng and Lai Chau ginseng as Vietnamese ginseng to develop deep processing.

"If we don't do deep processing, in 5 years, we won't know who to sell our ginseng roots to. This is also an issue related to growing area development, because when we do deep processing and sell the products, businesses will dare to commit to selling ginseng roots to people," said Mr. Hung.

Minister Le Minh Hoan visits the display area of ​​ginseng plants and products grown in Lai Chau in 2021 - Photo: CHI TUE

Approaching ginseng according to the industry chain

Sharing the same view, Mr. Nguyen Quang Thai, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thai Minh Company, said that from the lesson of Korea, we must intensively cultivate ginseng to achieve high productivity and build a unique brand of Vietnamese ginseng.

"Currently, Vietnamese provinces and businesses are researching and planting different varieties and media in each place.

In the long run, this will not shape the brand for Vietnamese ginseng. If we do not unify, not only will we waste resources, but the cultivation, processing, and trade of ginseng will not be effective," Mr. Thai added.

Mr. Huynh Van Liem, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kon Tum province, also agrees with the building of a Vietnamese ginseng brand. Ngoc Linh ginseng is not worried about being affected, because Kon Tum and Quang Nam have built geographical indications.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that in order for the ginseng development program to be more effective and sustainable, we must change our thinking and approach ginseng according to the industry chain.

"We often think of ginseng as a simple product. But it is not. Ginseng must integrate the great value of an industry. Ginseng can be processed into many products from food to cosmetics... We must shift from agricultural value to industrial value.

We must diversify processing and products to turn expensive products into cheap products that everyone can buy and use," said Mr. Hoan.

Looking from Korea, Mr. Hoan suggested that localities, businesses, and people must have national spirit and must work together to build products and national brands that represent the country.

"First, we must agree on the product name and brand as Vietnamese ginseng. Then we can trace the origin of Ngoc Linh ginseng or Lai Chau ginseng... and bring it to the market for customers to choose to buy and consume," said Mr. Hoan.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/xay-dung-thuong-hieu-chung-sam-viet-nam-hay-lam-rieng-le-sam-ngoc-linh-sam-lai-chau-2024081521130652.htm