Bo Chinh ginseng opens new economic opportunities

From a new crop introduced just over a year ago, Bo Chinh ginseng (Abelmoschus sagittifolius) is opening up a promising new economic avenue for farmers in Kien Dai Commune. Not only do its roots provide a source of income, but its flowers can also be processed into tea, helping increase the value of the crop.

Farmers in Kien Dai Commune harvest Bo Chinh ginseng flowers for tea production.

In Khun Ma Village, the lush green Bo Chinh ginseng fields begin blooming after about two months of cultivation. This is also when farmers harvest the flowers for tea, as they must be picked while fresh to preserve their color, aroma and quality.

Hoang Van Chung, a resident of Khun Ma Village, was among the first farmers to introduce Bo Chinh ginseng to the locality. More than a year ago, after spending time learning about the crop in Phuong Lien Commune, Bac Kan Province, he bought 1kg of seeds for more than VND2 million and planted them on rice fields after the harvest.

After nearly eight months, his first crop yielded more than one tonne of ginseng roots. After deducting expenses, his family earned more than VND100 million. The initial economic results attracted growing interest from local farmers, many of whom visited his fields to learn about cultivation techniques and obtain seeds.

Recognizing that Bo Chinh ginseng is well suited to the local climate and soil conditions, Kien Dai Commune has stepped up technical guidance and encouraged farmers to diversify crops and expand ginseng cultivation. The commune now has more than 5ha of Bo Chinh ginseng grown in eight of its 11 villages, with 46 households involved in production.

Lam Thi Hong Ngan, Secretary of the Kien Dai Commune Party Committee, said the locality is focusing on providing farmers with technical guidance on growing and caring for Bo Chinh ginseng. It is also encouraging the development of processed ginseng products and connecting farmers with businesses and production and distribution units to establish links from cultivation and processing to product consumption, thereby increasing the crop's value.

Chu Van Hien, a resident of Ban Va Village, Kien Dai Commune, packages Bo Chinh ginseng flower tea.

Alongside ginseng roots, the flowers are becoming an additional source of income for local farmers. In Ban Va Village, more than 10 households are producing ginseng flower tea. The flowers are usually harvested between 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., then dried for two to three sunny days and cured to develop their natural aroma.

According to local producers, about 4-5kg of fresh flowers produces 1kg of finished tea. The tea is carefully packaged and sold through social media platforms and the commune's digital market at around VND100,000 per 100g.

With Bo Chinh ginseng fields steadily expanding across Kien Dai, the new crop is not only helping diversify local agriculture but also creating opportunities to raise farmers' incomes and develop medicinal plant products in the locality.

Trang Hoang