The International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinal Herbs Festival first held in Vietnam

The International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinal Herbs Festival 2024 will take place from May 24-26 at Le Loi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first time an international festival of ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herbs has been held in Vietnam.

Providing information at the press conference of the International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinal Herbs Festival 2024 on May 17, Mr. Le Truong Duy, Intern Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Foreign Affairs and Director of the Center for Foreign Services and International Conference (FSC), said that the ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herb industry is one of Vietnam's strong industries. Among them, Ngoc Linh ginseng is one of the most precious and endemic medicinal herbs in Vietnam.

"Ho Chi Minh City is not a locality with a medicinal herb growing area. But as a responsible member, Ho Chi Minh City is a pioneer in organizing the festival with the wish to promote, preserve, develop, and spread Vietnam's ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herb industry; create an environment for Vietnamese businesses to exchange and cooperate in business with domestic and international businesses with strengths in ginseng, aromatic, and medicinal herbs.

Besides, create a large playground for domestic and foreign businesses to cooperate with each other and share experiences on processing technology, traceability, growing areas, etc.," said Mr. Le Truong Duy.

According to Mr. Le Truong Duy, when mentioning ginseng, many domestic consumers only think of South Korean ginseng. However, Vietnamese ginseng is evaluated very well by scientists, especially Ngoc Linh ginseng.

This festival is one of the ways to recognize the brands of Vietnamese ginseng, tea, and medicinal herbs. Thereby, contributing to changing the perspective and consumption habits of domestic consumers about Vietnamese ginseng, aromatic, and medicinal herbs.

Mr. Duy provided additional information that, up to now, there have been 13 international delegations registering to attend and 32 international businesses participating in exhibiting at the International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinal Herbs Festival 2024.

Ms. Huynh Khanh Thuy Nguyen, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Agricultural Consultancy and Support (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development), said that the festival will be divided into four areas: Exhibition and experience space of Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities; commercial booth area; tea island and international trade booth area; domestic and international culinary space area.

The highlight of the festival is the area that recreates and describes the characteristics and growth space of Ngoc Linh Ginseng, just like nature, so that visitors can visit and experience the reality.

"Visitors can participate in the experience of trying ginseng, soaking feet with herbs, and consulting with doctors throughout the days of the festival," Ms. Nguyen said.

The festival will have the participation of representatives of Ministries, branches, localities, and businesses with strengths in ginseng, aromatic, and medicinal herbs in countries such as Canada, the US, South Korea, Japan, India, and Southeast Asian countries, along with 20 localities in the country and 60 business units and cooperatives. Among these, Ho Chi Minh City will have 18 deep processing and manufacturing enterprises participating in the exhibition with more than 100 products related to ginseng and medicinal herbs.

The festival will have a scale of 32 international trade booths and 25 local exhibition booths, with nearly 70 products from fresh ginseng and ginseng products and approximately 40 Vietnamese and international culinary booths.

In addition to the exhibition space for ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herbs, the International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinals Festival 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City will also have many activities, such as seminars on ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herbs; a series of cultural and artistic exchange programs; and an exchange program on delicious dishes made from ginseng and aromatic herbs.

The International Ginseng and Aromatic, Medicinal Herbs Festival 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to be an opportunity for localities and businesses to exchange and promote quality ginseng and aromatic and medicinal herb products, contributing to promoting trade, investment, tourism, and promoting the brand of ginseng, aromatic, and medicinal herbs to domestic people and international friends.

On June 1, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed Decision 611/QD-TTg approving the Vietnamese Ginseng Development Program until 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The goal by 2030 is to preserve Vietnamese ginseng genetic resources in the wild in association with protecting and developing forests and preserving biodiversity in the forest ecosystem. Expand the Vietnamese ginseng growing area to about 21,000 hectares; 100% of Vietnamese ginseng growing areas are granted growing area codes and geographical indications. Achieve an exploitation output of about 300 tons/year, ensure origin, and meet GACP (good agricultural and collection practices)-WHO standards. Invest in processing and building preliminary and deep processing facilities for products from Vietnamese ginseng associated with raw material areas and production chains.

The orientation for 2045 is to develop Vietnamese ginseng to become an industry with an international brand and high export value, create an important source of revenue for localities, and strive to bring Vietnam into the world’s largest ginseng-producing country.