Attract investment in deep processing of 4,100 hectares of medicinal plants

Established in 2018, Lung Lo Cooperative (Van Chan district, Yen Bai) has focused on developing medicinal plants on a large scale. Taking advantage of favorable land and climate conditions in the Lung Lo pass area, the cooperative has planted 15 hectares of medicinal plants such as đương quy (Angelica sinensis), hoài sơn (Dioscorea batatas), Bo Chinh ginseng, hy thiêm (Sigesbeckia orientalis) and a number of other medicinal plants.

Thanks to the suitable soil and climate, medicinal plants grow well and have few pests and diseases. According to Lung Lo Cooperative, each medicinal plant species needs a long enough growing period to ensure the quality of its medicinal ingredients. For example, Dioscorea batatas tree can be harvested after one year, Angelica sinensis can be harvested after 2 years, ginseng types can be harvested after 5 years...

According to Mr. Do Bao Long - Director of Lung Lo Cooperative, with favorable natural conditions, Thuong Bang La commune (Van Chan district, Yen Bai) has very good potential to develop medicinal plants. Medicinal plants are easy to grow, easy to care for, and have few pests, but growers must pay attention to care in the beginning.

Due to increased market demand and the need to open more areas for growing medicinal plants, Lung Lo Cooperative has actively propagated and mobilized cooperative members and people to change the crop structure from corn, rice, and plants with low economic value to growing medicinal plants. Along with that, the cooperative has been actively coordinating with scientists to research and develop new medicinal plants while expanding the area of promising medicinal plants to nearly 20 hectares...

Currently, the entire Yen Bai province has about 630 species of medicinal plants, classified into 11 medicinal groups, including precious and high-value medicinal plants such as Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Smilax glabra, Golden camellia, Ericales, Crataegus, cinnamon... In restructuring the agriculture and forestry sector, Yen Bai province orients the development of medicinal plants associated with the development and protection of forests. Priority is given to developing 14 types of medicinal plants (cinnamon, Crataegus, Ericales...).

Yen Bai is a locality with rich and diverse sources of natural medicinal plants. Of the 200 species of medicinal plants in the Vietnam Red Book, Yen Bai has nearly 100 species. Therefore, Yen Bai has great potential to develop medicinal plants, especially rare ones.

Since 2018, the People's Committee of Yen Bai province has also planned to implement the "National Strategy for developing the pharmaceutical industry for the period up to 2020, vision 2030 in Yen Bai province". With the orientation of developing and expanding the area and types of medicinal herbs that are dominant in the province, up to now, the whole province has 4,100 hectares of medicinal plants of all kinds.

Along with that, the province has many mechanisms and policies to support investment in science and technology, attracting investors, businesses, cooperatives, and people to invest in intensive farming to increase productivity for these species. Medicinal plants with high economic value such as Ericales, Polyscias serrata Balf, Morinda officinalis...; Encourage additional planting, renovation, and replacement of areas of annual medicinal plants and harvested perennial plants to maintain stable area and output...

Yen Bai also invites pharmaceutical processing businesses, research units specializing in medicinal materials, and domestic and foreign scientists through economic links, agricultural extension programs, and technology scientific projects of ministries and central branches to develop medicinal plants.

In addition, Yen Bai province has implemented many solutions to support people switching from low-yield crops to growing medicinal plants. Thereby, it not only contributes to hunger eradication and poverty reduction but also preserves the source of precious medicinal plants in the locality, opening up opportunities for cooperatives and businesses to purchase, deeply process, and create chain links in medicinal processing.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Yen Bai province, said that to develop medicinal plants into large-volume, high-value goods, Yen Bai province has issued several guidelines and policies, such as: Project to develop hawthorn trees in Tram Tau and Mu Cang Chai districts; Cinnamon development project in Yen Bai province; policy of prioritizing the development of 14 species of rare medicinal plants, suitable for the climate and soil of high mountain areas; Developing medicinal plants associated with forest development and protection...