Buying and selling Ngoc Linh ginseng with… “trust”

At the monthly Ngoc Linh ginseng market held in Nam Tra My (Quang Nam province), the buying and selling of Ngoc Linh ginseng worth tens, hundreds of millions of dong, even billions of dong has been bustling. But all of this is based on visual "appraisal", on the experience of businesses, local ginseng growers and on the trust of customers.

Ngoc Linh ginseng was sold for 868 million VND at the Ngoc Linh ginseng market in Nam Tra My district.

Mr. Trinh Minh Quy - Head of the Ngoc Linh Ginseng Inspection Committee at the 5th Ngoc Linh Ginseng Festival said that the current inspection of Ngoc Linh ginseng is only based on the experience of those with many years of experience growing ginseng in the inspection team, without the support of machinery.

“For local people who have grown ginseng for many years, they can determine whether it is Ngoc Linh ginseng or not based on the characteristics of the root, eyes... However, that is only relative,” Mr. Quy said.

Mr. Trinh Minh Quy (right) inspects and appraises Ngoc Linh ginseng.

Mr. Ho Quang Buu - Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee confirmed that Quang Nam currently does not have machinery to test ginseng quality, and the monthly Ngoc Linh ginseng market held in Nam Tra My district is the best solution to prevent fake Ngoc Linh ginseng from entering the "Ngoc Linh ginseng capital" because there are very strict control agencies here.

From the above problem, it is easy to see that the most difficult thing is that the provinces have not been proactive in testing machines, as a basis for handling counterfeit goods because to handle fake ginseng, there must be machine testing results. When suspecting fake ginseng, the authorities must take samples and send them for testing, which is time-consuming, passive, and costly.

Fight against fake ginseng

In order for the fight against fake ginseng to become proactive and strong, creating a great deterrent for those who seek to profit from this precious medicinal herb, mastering the technique of testing Ngoc Linh ginseng will be a new step forward.

Ms. Ngo Thi Minh Thuy - Director of Nang Thuy Trading and Service Company Limited said that at the ginseng market of Nam Tra My district, ginseng is always guaranteed in terms of quality and origin. "However, I hope that the locality will soon invest and have a ginseng quality testing machine so that customers who do not trust can come and test directly, thereby creating trust for customers, contributing to protecting and improving the quality of the Ngoc Linh ginseng brand" , Ms. Thuy said.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Ho Quang Buu - Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee said that to thoroughly handle the situation of fake ginseng, not only Quang Nam but also the whole society, especially central authorities, are needed to participate.

“ Currently, Quang Nam is considering investing in machinery to test the quality of ginseng. At the same time, it regularly coordinates with the Ministry of Science and Technology to inspect whenever any suspicion is detected. Quang Nam province always puts ginseng security first to protect the Ngoc Linh ginseng brand, as well as protect growers and consumers,” Mr. Buu emphasized.

Quang Nam provincial leaders visit Ngoc Linh ginseng market in Nam Tra My district

Recently, in order to contribute to protecting the brand, preventing trade fraud, and trading in fake Ngoc Linh ginseng in the province, the Standing Committee of Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee has just issued a document requesting the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee to direct the Provincial People's Committee to review, complete, and ensure all necessary conditions according to regulations to maximize the use of the Equipment System for extraction, cloning, and testing of DNA and the Equipment System for testing the biological active ingredients of Ngoc Linh ginseng saponin. At the same time, strengthen propaganda, mobilization, and widely promote to organizations and individuals inside and outside the province to know and contact the Center for Research, Application and Services of Science and Technology (under the Department of Science and Technology) to analyze and test the quality of Ngoc Linh ginseng using the above equipment system.

The Standing Committees of Dak Glei and Tu Mo Rong District Party Committees led the District People's Committees to coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology to propagate to people and businesses to use the above equipment system to protect the purebred Ngoc Linh ginseng source in the area...

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh surveyed Ngoc Linh ginseng garden, Tu Mo Rong district in August 2023. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

In order to avoid affecting or discrediting the Ngoc Linh ginseng brand, Mr. Vo Trung Manh - Chairman of the People's Committee of Tu Mo Rong district said that in the coming time, the district will continue to coordinate to establish legal records of ginseng growing areas for households to manage. At the same time, the district will recommend on electronic pages that people and businesses when buying and selling ginseng need to make a record or make a sales contract so that if fake ginseng is discovered, there will be a basis for the authorities to severely punish.

Lesson 3: How to identify Ngoc Linh ginseng on the market