QUANG NAM – Choose the Ngoc Linh ginseng plants like, the people of Nam Tra My district bring to the contest to find the most valuable, strong and big tree.

In the framework of the festival “Ngoc Linh invites”, on the morning of August 1, the Center for Introduction and Organization of the Fair held a competition for Ngoc Linh ginseng in Tra Mai commune, Nam Tra My district. Nearly 60 people from seven communes in the district brought ginseng to the contest.

Going 20 km from his house to the fair, Mr. Ho Van Doan from Tra Linh commune brought a backpack containing ginseng to the contest.

Before that, people plucked ginseng, and added humus soil to wrap it in bags, when they came to the market, they put them in pots to display. The organizers said this award is for 1-4 year old ginseng; 5 years old; 7 years old, 9 years old and 10 year old type. This is the only ginseng contest in Vietnam.

The “ginseng contestants” are placed in pots, lined up on the table for the judging panel. The winning criteria are straight ginseng plants, uniform canopy, dark green leaves, strong roots, no pests and diseases. Dark yellow or moss green ginseng root.

Ms. Nguyen Hong Thuong, Tra Cang commune, brought five ginseng plants to the contest. Like many households in Nam Tra My district, Thuong’s family planted thousands of ginseng trees on the top of Ngoc Linh mountain. “I don’t care about winning the prize, but I just think this is an opportunity to learn from experience on how to grow and take care of ginseng to achieve high yields,” said Ms. Thuong.

Mr. Ho Van Liem, Tra Linh commune, brought an 8-year-old ginseng plant, weighing 240 grams, 80 cm high to the contest. “I planted thousands of trees on Ngoc Linh mountain, but I chose five big tubers, evenly developed roots, large leaves and stems to participate in the contest according to the rules,” said Mr. Liem, and said that this ginseng was finished if anyone bought 70 million. The copper will be sold, if the price is not good, it will be brought back to be planted.

Mr. Ho Van The, deputy head of the organizing committee of the ginseng contest, observed with the naked eye and assessed by experience. Characteristics of Ngoc Linh ginseng each eye is one year old.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is used by the people of Xe Dang, living in the central mountains, to treat diseases, calling it “hidden medicine”. During the war years, people often used “hidden medicine” to treat wounds, malaria, etc. for the soldiers.

A ginseng plant produces ripe berries. According to the regulations, the ginseng contestant is still intact, not broken, not crushed leaves and fruits.

The one-year-old ginseng tree has only one leaf branch emerging.

Mr. Trinh Minh Quy, Director of the Center for General Agricultural Technology of Nam Tra My district, a member of the jury, said that the big and heavy ginseng plants will win the prize.

A ginseng tree weighing nearly 300 grams, 60 cm high participated in the competition. The owner said the tree was discovered in the wild, then brought back and planted in the garden for more than 6 years. At the end of the contest, the tree was priced at 130 million VND.

The contest aims to create a playground for people and contribute to the development of ginseng farming in Nam Tra My district. The jury will find the most beautiful trees to award on August 3 with five first prizes, each prize is 1.5 million VND; 10 second prizes 1.2 million VND/prize; 15 third prizes 800,000 VND/prize and 20 consolation prizes 500,000 VND/prize.

Ginseng is grown by the people of Nam Tra My district on the top of Ngoc Linh mountain, under the canopy of the primeval forest. In early June 2017, Vietnamese ginseng (Ngoc Linh ginseng) became a national product.

Photo: Internet