Trà Linh Commune may soon become a key zone for Ngọc Linh ginseng agriculture in Đà Nẵng. Thaco Group has proposed a plan to develop the ginseng and medicinal herb farming zone on 4,600ha in the mountainous area in the next few years. Photo courtesy of Sâm Sâm company

ĐÀ NẴNG — Multi-industry private group Thaco has proposed a plan to develop Ngọc Linh ginseng conservation, high-tech processing and agro-forestry cultivation on an area of 4,600ha in Đà Nẵng's Trà Linh and Trà Tập communes.

The local group said it had completed a survey on a sustainable medicinal herb farming zone, as well as a study on building a global trademark for the traditional Vietnamese ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) over the next few years.

According to the proposal, Ngọc Linh ginseng cultivation will cover 30 per cent of the planned area, while the remaining hectares will be set aside for herb growing and forestry production zones, as well as infrastructure.

Last year, Thaco Group signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with China's State-run pharmaceutical group Sinopharm and partners in Jilin, China, on developing Ngọc Ling ginseng in the mountain terrain of central Việt Nam. 

Ngọc Linh ginseng has traditionally been farmed on more than 1,600ha of land in the mountains of the former Quảng Nam Province (now part of Đà Nẵng City) at 1,400m above sea level.

Sâm Sâm Company has already opened a US$5.4 million factory to produce ginseng capsules, essential oils, cosmetics, drinks, tea and food supplements at Tam Anh Industrial Park.

A Ngọc Linh ginseng plant producing seeds for the next crop. Trà Linh and Trà Tập communes will be a key agricultural centre for growing ginseng and medicinal herbs. Photo courtesy of Văn Thọ

The first e-commerce platform for Ngọc Linh ginseng and other medicinal herbs debuted in 2023.

Đà Nẵng has planned a Ngọc Linh ginseng cultivation and protection area on 16,000ha under forest canopy.

To date, 18 companies and 41 household businesses have leased forest canopy areas covering over 825ha to grow Ngọc Linh ginseng.

Six enterprises and one household business are eligible for the right to use the Ngọc Linh Geographical Indication for ginseng root products, helping to protect the plant's origin and enhance its market value.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recognised the folk knowledge associated with Ngọc Linh ginseng as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Ngọc Linh ginseng was first identified in the late 1960s on Ngọc Linh Mountain, spanning areas of the former Quảng Nam Province, now administratively linked with Đà Nẵng, and Kon Tum Province, now associated with Quảng Ngãi Province.

The plant is known to grow best under the canopy of primary forests at altitudes ranging from 1,400m to 2,500m above sea level, where natural conditions support its long-term sustainability.

The city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment said planning for the ginseng and medicinal herb zone would contribute to Việt Nam’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. — VNS