What to do to develop medicinal areas in Hai Duong?

Lots of potential

Since the 13th century, in Van Kiep, Hung Dao Dai Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan has built a medicinal plant growing area in Duoc Son to treat generals, soldiers and people. History records that hundreds of medicinal plants were grown on the mountain such as: dog's milk, passion flower, bo giac, fo-ti, grass finger, yellow star, white glove, crow's beak... which have high medicinal value and can cure many diseases. Over time, the medicinal plant growing area in Duoc Son has gradually narrowed, making room for other fruit trees and civil works.

Looking back at history, we can see that since ancient times, Duoc Son in particular, and Chi Linh in general, have been suitable lands for growing medicinal herbs. Master, Doctor Tran Thanh Nam, Chairman of the Provincial Oriental Medicine Association, said that in Hai Duong, Chi Linh has the most favorable soil and climate conditions for developing medicinal herbs. "This land is suitable for growing most medicinal herbs. 1-2 years ago, we brought some rare medicinal herbs such as Morinda officinalis and Ginseng here to grow and all gave positive results. Currently, in Chi Linh, some members are developing areas for growing golden honeysuckle - a precious medicinal herb in oriental medicine. In general, Hai Duong has a lot of potential to develop medicinal herb growing areas," said Mr. Nam.

In 2006, the medicinal herb garden at Bia Temple (worshipping the great physician, Zen master Tue Tinh - the founder of Vietnamese medicine) in Cam Van Commune (Cam Giang) was inaugurated. The medicinal herb garden is about 1,200 m² wide, currently has 9 plots growing over 1,000 medicinal herbs, equivalent to 9 groups of diseases, including some precious medicinal herbs... Most of the medicinal herbs grown at Bia Temple grow well and are easy to replicate.

Currently, most districts, towns and cities in the province have members of the Oriental Medicine Association growing medicinal plants. Although the scale is small, it shows that the natural conditions in many localities are also very suitable and have potential for growing medicinal plants. Most health stations in communes, wards and towns in the province have medicinal plant gardens.

Early zoning

Despite such great potential, the development of medicinal plant growing areas in Hai Duong is still modest and spontaneous. Meanwhile, the demand for medicinal plants to produce related products within the province is not small.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tu Anh, General Director of Hai Duong Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies Joint Stock Company, said that each year the company needs about 50 tons of dried Phyllanthus urinaria, 70 tons of bitter Phyllanthus urinaria, 60 tons of Desmodium styracifolium... to produce products. Corresponding to this need, about 15-17 hectares of medicinal herbs are needed. However, the company has only developed about 5 hectares in Tu Ky, Ninh Giang districts and Chi Linh city. "To have enough raw materials for production, we have to import from Bac Giang province. This locality has concentrated medicinal herb growing areas," Ms. Anh informed.

On March 19, the People's Committee of Hai Duong province implemented the national strategy for the development of Vietnam's pharmaceutical industry until 2030 with a vision to 2045. The strategy promises to open a new page in the development of medicinal plant growing areas in Hai Duong, both meeting the needs of businesses and contributing to economic development. One of the solutions to implement the strategy is to maintain and develop existing medicinal plant growing areas such as Duoc Son mountain, Bia temple...

Some experts believe that the above strategy is completely consistent with the traditional medicine tradition of the nation that has been formed and developed since the period of national construction and defense until now, while realizing the guiding documents of the Party, State, and Government on inheriting, promoting, and developing traditional medicine, combining traditional medicine with modern medicine. For the strategy to be truly effective in the future, from now on, Hai Duong needs to review, evaluate, and plan concentrated medicinal herb production areas in the direction that each district, town, and city has at least 1 concentrated medicinal herb production area. Identify market demand to research, test planting, and gradually expand medicinal plants suitable to the natural conditions of the province. Have preferential policies to encourage people to participate in medicinal herb cultivation, especially in terms of loans, techniques, and consumption for each product. When concentrated production areas are formed, they will create abundant medicinal resources, which will inevitably lead to the development of pharmaceutical production enterprises. The zoning of concentrated medicinal plant production areas also contributes to job creation, increasing income for people, promoting socio-economic development...

Deputy Head of the Cam Giang District Relic Management Board, Le Thi Thoa, said that a number of businesses have proposed their desire to develop medicinal plant growing areas in the buffer zone of the Bia Temple area. When the local medicinal plant resources are abundant, a complex of spiritual services - health care - resorts and "The Capital of Traditional Medicine" will be established in Hai Duong.