Black cardamom farming increases income and protects forests

In recent years, people in highland communes of Bac Yen district have used the land area under the forest canopy to grow black cardamom, contributing to increasing income and protecting the forests.

Farmers in Hang Chu commune harvest black cardamom.

Hang Chu is one of the communes with the largest area of black cardamom in Bac Yen district. To date, local people have planted more than 300 hectares of black cardamom, yielding over 470 tonnes of fruit per year, contributing to creating livelihoods for highlanders living on forestry. Many households have earned stable income and escaped poverty thanks to growing black cardamom. Public awareness of protecting and taking care of forest areas has also been raised.

Since 2017, Bac Yen district has implemented six projects to support 523 households in growing 341 hectares of medicinal plants, with a total cost of more than 4.4 billion VND (182,686 USD). At the same time, it has developed dried black cardamom into a provincial-level 3-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) product. It is expected that by 2030, the district will continue to support farmers to plant 400 hectares of new black cardamom trees, and encourage them to establish cooperatives for sustainable linkages in sale of black cardamom products.

Bac Yen district has nearly 563 hectares of black cardamom, with an output of nearly 550 tonnes per year. Growing black cardamom under the canopy of natural forests generates an average income of about 40 million VND (1,660 USD) per hectare. Thanks to its large consumer market, high demand from traders, and stable output, black cardamom has been chosen as a key plant, creating a driving force for economic development in the highland communes of Bac Yen.

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