Dành Mountain ginseng is displayed at the conference. VNA/VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG A conference to promote the sale of Dành Mountain ginseng in both domestic and international markets has taken place at Liên Chung Commune, Tân Yên District in the northern province of Bắc Giang.

The conference served as a platform to introduce the origins, quality, cultivation and processing methods of the renowned Dành Mountain ginseng.

It also provided an opportunity for domestic and international businesses and traders to connect with producers, explore partnership opportunities and sign sales contracts.

Dành Mountain ginseng is one of the most valued medicinal plants of Tân Yên District. The local People's Committee has directed efforts to develop, enhance the value and establish it as a distinctive local product.

This plant is renowned for its exceptional quality, said to be on par with Korean ginseng. According to locals, Dành Mountain ginseng was even a tribute item presented to the emperors and it is believed to have healing properties that could treat the eye ailments of Emperor Tự Đức's mother.

Tân Yên District currently has around 125 hectares of Dành Mountain ginseng under cultivation, located across the communes of Việt Lập, Liên Chung, and Cao Thượng Town.

In 2024, the district is expected to harvest about 30 tonnes of ginseng roots and over 60 tonnes of flowers, across a season which occurs annually from August 15 to September 30.

The Dành Mountain ginseng has been leveraged to create a wide array of processed products, including fresh ginseng flowers and roots, ginseng tea, ginseng-infused shampoo, dissolvable ginseng powder and ginseng wine.

Such products are now being distributed and sold through major retail channels such as Mega Market, the Go supermarket chain, the Shopee ecommerce platform, as well as through pharmaceutical companies, confectioners and energy drink manufacturers.

According to Ngô Quốc Hưng, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tân Yên District, the Dành Mountain ginseng, boasts exceptional quality, nutritional value and can be trusted by discerning consumers.

The locality has pledged to create the most favourable conditions to support local ginseng growers, as well as domestic and international enterprises and traders involved in the harvesting, processing and marketing of Dành Mountain ginseng.

They will also provide the best possible logistical and support services and ensure public security, traffic safety and the delivery of other essential services.

According to Dr Đồng Thị Kim Cúc, Deputy Director of the High-Tech Biology Experiment Centre at the Vietnam Agricultural Genetics Institute, the quality of Dành Mountain ginseng is closely tied to the age of the plants.

The key chemical constituents identified in the ginseng samples include saponins, flavonoids, organic acids, amino acids and saccharides.

Notably, its saponin content is comparable to that of Korean ginseng and for seven or eight year old Dành ginseng plants, the saponin levels are actually 1.5 times higher its Korean counterparts.

David Trần, the ASEAN Regional Director of the US-based Ibenetor Group, expressed the company's enthusiasm to collaborate on commercialising products derived from Dành Mountain ginseng.

He cited the scientific research confirming the exceptionally high saponin content in Dành Mountain ginseng. This, he noted, presents significant opportunities to develop a wide range of highly nutritious and health-promoting products from this premium ginseng variety.

Ibenetor, as a leading global health and wellness company, is eager to work with local partners to bring Bắc Giang's specialty to consumers in Việt Nam as well as international markets.

The company is particularly targeting the ASEAN region and the US as key focus areas for the distribution and sale of Dành Mountain ginseng-based products.

Conference attendees visit stalls displaying Dành Mountain ginseng-based products. VNA/VNS Photo

The conference brought forward several key recommendations to further develop and promote Bắc Giang’s medicinal specialty, like establishing concentrated cultivation areas to optimise production, ramping up promotional efforts across various media and social media platforms and linking up individual growers, cooperatives and domestic/international enterprises.

Other recommendations included providing training to local farmers on best practices for ginseng cultivation and care, with a focus on organic production with community-based tourism.

VNS