Kon Tum approves project to grow over 4,600ha of Ngoc Linh ginseng hinh anh 1Local authorities of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum have approved a project to grow Ngoc Linh ginseng in Tu Mo Rong district (Photo: VNA)

Kon Tum (VNA) – Local authorities of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum have approved a project to grow Ngoc Linh ginseng in Tu Mo Rong district, in a bid to preserve and develop the medicinal plant.

The project, with an investment of over 4.93 trillion VND (217.01 million USD), will be implemented on an area of more than 4,600ha of natural forest in Mang Ri and Ngoc Lay communes of the district. It is expected to produce 500kg of fresh ginseng per year.

It is hoped to ensure sustainable forest management and promote the growing and preservation of Ngoc Linh ginseng, while creating more products from the ginseng that meet domestic and international demand.

In addition, the project will generate jobs for about 5,000 workers, mainly those from ethnic groups, raising local income and reducing poverty rate.

Ngoc Linh ginseng was first found on Ngoc Linh Mountain on the border between Quang Nam and Central Highlands Kon Tum province and in the late 1960s.

Vietnam’s Ngoc Linh ginseng contains 52 saponins (saponin is the main component of ginseng. The more saponins, the better).

Besides saponin, Ngoc Linh ginseng contains 17 amino acids, 20 trace minerals and 0.1 percent of attar. The ginseng has high effects in anti-stress and anti-aging conditions. It helps improve immunity, enhance liver function, and lower cholesterol. Besides, it also works well with antibiotics and diabetes medications.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is one of the world’s most precious ginsengs. It has been approved as a national product under the Prime Minister’s Decision 787/QD-TTg.

Quang Nam has zoned off over 15,000 hectares to plant the ginseng, with the participation of over 1,000 households in seven communes in Nam Tra My district.

In 2016, the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Agency recognised the Geographical Indication (GI) of Ngoc Linh for ginseng root products.-VNA

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