Purple morinda root: The Medicinal Plant Paving the Way for Sustainable Poverty Reduction

The Tam Dao National Park area, with its unique climate, has fostered a rich and diverse forest ecosystem, providing ideal conditions for various medicinal plants to thrive. Leveraging this advantage, Phu Tho province has recently developed several models for medicinal plant cultivation geared towards commercial production, yielding high economic efficiency. Most notable is the Purple Ba Kich (Morinda officinalis), a native plant that is progressively becoming a "new wealth-generating crop," helping many farming households achieve sustainable poverty reduction.

Purple Ba Kich is a precious medicinal plant with significant health benefits, traditionally grown across hillsides and forest fringes in mountainous communes such as Hop Ly and Dao Tru.

Recognizing the high economic value and medicinal properties of this plant, local residents have boldly transitioned to concentrated cultivation, gradually forming stable raw material regions.

The Ba Kich plant is easy to care for and resilient against pests, making it perfectly suited to the soil and climate of the Tam Dao mountains. However, to ensure the quality of the tubers and maximize economic returns, the cultivation cycle—from planting to harvest—must span at least five years.

A prime example is the model led by Mr. Nguyen Van Xo's family in Dong Gieng Village, Dao Tru Commune. His family currently manages approximately 2 hectares of Ba Kich. After deducting costs, each sao (360m2) of Ba Kich generates an income of approximately 150 - 180 million VND per harvest (every 5 years).

Over the past five years, the Minh Phuc An Agricultural Product Processing Joint Stock Company (Tam Dao Commune) has regularly purchased fresh Ba Kich directly from gardens at prices ranging from 80,000 to 150,000 VND/kg, ensuring a favorable outlet for farmers.

With its distinctive flavor and high medicinal value, Ba Kich wine is not only favored by local consumers but has also become a meaningful souvenir for tourists visiting the Tam Dao mountains and neighboring areas. Currently, Tam Dao Ba Kich wine is the flagship product of Minh Phuc An Company and has become a representative indigenous product of Phu Tho province.

Given the value it brings, Purple Ba Kich has affirmed its vital role in rural economic development, continuing to open up opportunities for sustainable wealth creation for Phu Tho farmers in the coming years.

Le Minh