On 6/1, the Da Nang City People's Committee issued a plan to implement the Prime Minister's decision approving the project for developing and forming a medicinal herb industrial center in Quang Nam (formerly), with Ngoc Linh ginseng as the key plant. The city aims to build a synchronous value chain from cultivation, processing, to consumption, thereby expanding job opportunities and sustainable livelihoods for local residents.

The program to create 10,000 jobs for workers in ginseng and medicinal herb cultivation areas is identified as a key task, led by the Department of Home Affairs, in coordination with other departments and sectors, to be implemented from 2026. The city prioritizes using local labor, linking medicinal herb development with stabilizing the lives of mountain residents.

Concurrently, Da Nang is promoting the collective economy in the medicinal herb sector. For the 2026-2030 period, the city expects to support the establishment of 50 or more cooperatives specializing in Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicinal herbs, helping farmers transition from small-scale production to commercial scale, enhancing value and market linkage capabilities.

Ngoc Linh ginseng cultivated by residents of Tra Linh commune. Photo: Dac Thanh

In the processing industry sector, before 2030, Da Nang will attract investment to build three to five medicinal herb processing factories meeting GMP-WHO standards. From 2031-2045, the city will continue to develop an additional five to ten facilities for collecting, preliminary processing, and preserving medicinal herbs. The infrastructure for the medicinal herb industrial center will be invested in industrial parks; initially, about 50 hectares will be allocated in the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone to readily accommodate projects.

The city also aims to develop treatment, resort, and health recovery services linked with indigenous medicinal herbs; connecting cultivation areas with tourism and culture to form a new service economy, creating more jobs in the service and creative sectors.

To meet human resource demands, Da Nang will boost scientific research and technology transfer in medicinal herb cultivation and processing; simultaneously applying preferential mechanisms and policies for businesses, organizations, and individuals participating in the Ngoc Linh ginseng value chain.

According to the city, developing a national medicinal herb center not only promotes economic growth but also leverages biodiversity advantages, contributing to job creation and long-term income improvement for residents.

Nguyen Dong