At the beginning of the "wild pepper" picking season, people earn millions of dong.

Mac Khen is also known as forest pepper, a type of woody plant that grows naturally in the forests of Nghe An highlands. For a long time, this fruit has been used by people as a spice in dishes. Not only limited to the Thai, Mong, Kho Mu communities, but now, Mac Khen is also known by many diners.

Mac khen (wild pepper) is sold on the roads in the highlands of Nghe An. Photo: Dao Tho

These days, along the roads in mountainous districts such as Tuong Duong and Ky Son, many people display mac khen everywhere to sell and attract customers. Mac khen has just been taken from the forest, the fruit is still fresh and green and is tied into bunches. Depending on the type, a small bunch costs 5,000 VND, a large bunch 10,000 VND.

Mac khen has just been picked from the forest. Photo: Dao Tho

Mr. Va Ba Xeng in Lien Son village (Nam Can commune - Ky Son) said: From mid-October onwards, the mac khen can be harvested. This is also the time when his family invites each other to go to the forest to collect and sell to traders or passersby. It is the beginning of the season, so mac khen is easier to find. If picking all day, each family member can pick 30-40 bunches, which is calculated to be more than 500 thousand VND/day.

The first wild pepper fruits of the season are still fresh and green. Photo: Dao Tho

Carrying a bag of Khen on her back to deliver to restaurants in Chieu Luu commune (Ky Son), in just a moment, Ms. Chich Thi Quang in Luu Thang village received more than 400,000 VND. According to her, taking advantage of the days when the harvest in the fields was finished, she and many people in the village went to find Khen to sell. Because this fruit only appears for a few months and then falls, people take advantage of the opportunity to earn extra income. "After only a week of picking, my family has earned nearly 2 million VND" - Ms. Quang excitedly said.

To be used as a spice for dishes, mac khen must be dried in the kitchen. Photo: Dao Tho

Because this is a natural fruit in the forest, people harvest every tree they find. Ms. La Thi Than, residing in Cay Me village (Thach Giam commune - Tuong Duong), shared: “More and more people are picking mac khen to sell, so at the beginning of the season, all the young fruits are picked. Moreover, harvesting like this is making mac khen more and more rare. In previous years, you could pick a whole basket near your house, but these days you have to go all day.”