Traders buy cinnamon leaves: Happy or worried?

(Baonghean.vn) -Recently, in Que Phong area, traders not only buy cinnamon trunks and bark but also cinnamon leaves. People have more income but also cannot avoid worrying.

Mr. Ha Van Hung, Na Xai village, Hanh Dich commune, takes care of the cinnamon garden. Photo: Ho Phuong

Que Phong is the largest cinnamon growing district in Nghe An province today. The entire Que Phong district currently has about more than 30 hectares scattered in several communes such as: Chau Kim, Que Son, Hanh Dich, Thong Thu, Dong Van...

For a long time, cinnamon growers in Que Phong have been selling cinnamon trees in two ways: either cinnamon growers harvest them themselves and then sell the bark and wood, or sell them in batches to traders, then hire people to harvest them themselves. Both of these methods determine the price of cinnamon trees based on the amount of bark and trunk. On average, each hectare of cinnamon gives cinnamon growers a profit of about 40 to 70 million/10 years.

Compared to planting other trees such as Melaleuca, cinnamon trees are "less profitable". Therefore, in recent years, people have converted many areas to plant other trees, the amount of cinnamon is gradually becoming scarce in Que Phong land.

Sacks of cinnamon leaves are carefully packed by traders to be loaded onto trucks. Photo: Huu Vi

In recent months, cinnamon buyers have not only purchased the trunk and bark but also the leaves of the cinnamon tree. According to the reporter’s investigation, the current price of dried cinnamon leaves in Que Phong district is 4,500 VND/kg. Many families have also earned extra income from selling this type of leaf.

Mr. Ha Van Hung, Na Xai village, Hanh Dich commune, Que Phong district, excitedly said: "For the past few months, traders have been buying the leaves, so we have some extra money. For each cinnamon tree, we earn more than 200,000 VND from the leaves."

When asked where they buy cinnamon leaves, traders hesitated to answer. Some households said they buy them to import to China.

However, the massive purchase of cinnamon leaves is also causing concern for cinnamon growers in Que Phong. Buying too many cinnamon leaves will affect the growth of this tree, because for a long time cinnamon growers have not fertilized but just let the trees grow on their own. And especially, the dry leaves of the cinnamon trees that fall not only keep the cinnamon trees moist but also provide nutrients for the growth of this tree - a cinnamon grower in Que Phong said.

Traders load cinnamon leaves onto trucks to transport. Photo: Ho Phuong

Mr. Le Van Giap - Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee said that the district is currently implementing a project to preserve and develop local cinnamon varieties (Quỳ cinnamon) in some communes in the area. The purchase of leaves of this tree species is also of special interest to the district and is strictly controlled. If there is a phenomenon of massive purchase, the district will have reasonable policies to ensure the best benefits for cinnamon growers./.

Ho Phuong - Huu Vi