The Government leader said Ngoc Linh ginseng, which is dubbed as a national treasure, could become a source of national livelihood in different aspects, whether it’s job generation or State budget contribution: “If we aggregate Ngoc Linh ginseng with other medicinal herbs in other regions like mushrooms in Hoang Lien Son, Nghe An, and medicinal herbs in the central highlands and northwestern regions, we can create a strong medicinal herb sector which is competitive in the region and the world. We need to apply appropriate technology to preserve, process and develop the products. It’s the question of how to help Vietnam’s herbal medicines and health products join the global playground.”

The Prime Minister set a target of earning billions of US dollars in production and export values from those products in the coming decades. Phuc added that the target is feasible given the high growth rate forecast for the international ginseng market.  He stressed the need to work out strategies to develop the brand of Ngoc Linh ginseng and increase investment in this product.

Ngoc Linh ginseng (Panax vietnamensis, or Vietnamese ginseng), a rare medical root containing 52 saponin compounds helpful to health, was found on Ngoc Linh Mountain on the boundary between Kon Tum and Quang Nam in the late 1960s. Besides saponin, Ngoc Linh ginseng contains 17 amino acids, 20 trace minerals and 0.1 percent of attar. Ginseng is highly effective when it comes to anti-stress and anti-aging treatments. It helps to improve immunity, enhance liver function, and lower cholesterol. Besides these benefits, it also works well with antibiotics and diabetes medications.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is one of the world’s most precious ginseng variety. It has been approved as a national product under the Prime Minister’s Decision.