Nghi Loc farmers grow wormwood and plantain to fight drought and earn high income
(Baonghean.vn) – To cope with the year-round hot and dry climate, people in Nghi Van, Nghi Kieu, Nghi Lam communes... in Nghi Loc district have grown medicinal plants instead of crops. This method has shown clear results.
Nghi Van has long been considered the “desert” of Nghi Loc district due to year-round drought, and water sources for production depend heavily on the capacity of dams. Although many types of crops can still be grown locally, their productivity and economic value are not high.
To cope with harsh natural conditions, over the past two years, people in hamlets 1, 2 and 22 of Nghi Van commune have converted traditional crops such as corn, peanuts and beans from low efficiency to growing medicinal plants; mainly wormwood and plantain, providing stable income.
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| Plantain as a medicinal herb in Nghi Loc. Photo: Quang An |
In Hamlet 1 (Nghi Van Commune), 80/104 households currently grow Artemisia vulgaris and Plantago. According to Mr. Hoang Minh Son in Hamlet 1, every year, on the fertile land area, people usually grow corn to serve livestock. However, since switching to growing medicinal plants, each sao brings in an income of about 4 million VND, much higher than previous crops.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, a farmer who grows wormwood, added: “Other plants require money to buy seeds, but this plant can be kept as seeds for the next season, saving farmers some money. Growing this plant does not use any pesticides, so it is very popular in the market.”
Medicinal plants have "found a relationship" with the difficult land of Nghi Van, bringing a new direction in agricultural production. The plant is planted in July and harvested in October every year; the plant is planted in December and harvested in February. This is the time when people have free time after the end of the crop season. The plant yields 1 quintal/sao, the plant is 3 quintals/sao. Currently, with the selling price of the plant at 30,000 VND/kg, and the plant at 20,000 VND/kg, people have a stable income of 3 - 5 million VND/sao.
The advantages of these two types of plants are that they do not require much care; the cost of agricultural materials is also low, after harvest they can be preserved for a long time, and the output is stable.
In other communes such as Nghi Kieu and Nghi Lam, people also grow medicinal herbs on fertile land.
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| After harvesting, dried Artemisia vulgaris and Plantago are pounded to get seeds for the next season. Photo: Quang An. |
In traditional medicine, the plant is also called mountain patchouli. The stem is small, purple, and has fine white hairs. The flowers grow in clusters in the leaf axils. The plant is bitter, cold, and has the effect of clearing heat, promoting urination, and promoting bile secretion. It is used to treat jaundice, urinary tract infections, and skin ulcers caused by rheumatism. Plantain is a perennial herb that regenerates by branches and seeds. The stem is about 10-15 cm high and the leaves have long petioles. In traditional medicine, plantain is used as a diuretic, to treat some urinary diseases, stop bleeding, edema, chronic cough, diarrhea, nosebleeds, etc. |
While other agricultural products are struggling to find outlets, medicinal plants are purchased by local traders from household to household. During the harvest season, the purchasing facility in Hamlet 1, Nghi Van Commune is always crowded with people coming to import goods in large quantities.
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| Growing medicinal plants has helped people in Nghi Van commune, Nghi Loc have a stable income. Photo: Quang An |
Currently, Nghi Loc's wormwood and plantain are imported to traditional medicine stores in Vinh City, Ha Tinh and the northern provinces. Many beverage shops in Vinh City also import wormwood to sell during the summer because of its cooling effect.
Currently, Nghi Loc grows more than 30 hectares of medicinal plants and each hectare brings in an income of about 60 to 100 million VND.
Quang An
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