A farmer in the central province of Quang Ngai's Tra Bong district harvests cinnamon bark. (Photo baomoi.com)Quang Ngai (VNS/VNA) - Cinnamon growers in the central province of QuangNgai’s Tra Bong district are happy with the ongoing bumper cinnamon season,with increasing exports of this spice to Europe, the Middle East and the UnitedStates.
Since mid-February, nearly 1,000 tonnes of fresh cinnamon bark was purchased byenterprises and local traders.
The peak harvest season of the spice started two months ago, when farmers werebusy peeling cinnamon bark from the trees in the immense cinnamon forests of TraBong district.
Ho Thi Huong, owner of a farm with 1,000 cinnamon trees in Tra Hiep commune,said she had to hire 20 local people to harvest cinnamon during the season.
“Many trees on my farm are over 20 years old, so the thick bark can produceessential oils with the best quality,” she said, “of course, the price will behigher."
The price of fresh cinnamon bark is about 50,000-55,000 VND per kg, and can behigher compared to previous years, according to Huong.
Each year, cinnamon growers here have two crops – from late February to April,and from July to August.
In Quang Ngai province, Tra Bong district is considered the capital of cinnamontrees, supplying raw materials for export processing enterprises.
Currently, there are three big enterprises purchasing fresh cinnamon bark here,mainly for export. Additionally, many traders came to local gardens to purchasecinnamon bark, branches and leaves.
Since the early cinnamon season, the Hieu Dung Trading Enterprise, in Tra Son communehas purchased 300 tonnes of fresh cinnamon bark.
It is expected to buy an additional 300 tonnes, bringing the total purchase up30 per cent against last year. These are mainly used for processing essentialoils, household goods and for export.
Tran Thi Minh Hieu, Director of the Hieu Dung Dũng Trading Enterprise, saidthat this year's export volume increased sharply against the previous season.
Fresh cinnamon bark will be processed before being exported to Europe and theMiddle East.
Quang Ngai province now is home to nearly 6,000 hectares of cinnamon grownmainly in mountainous districts with the average yield of 9.5 tonnes perhectare.
Tran Van Suong, deputy chairman of the Tra Bong District People’s Committee,said cinnamon was the main crop that helped local people escape poverty.
In recent years, demand for cinnamon has become greater than ever when it wassold to buyers in the US and Europe, besides traditional markets in Asiancountries./.
VNA
