Lang Son plants more than 43,370 hectares of Vietnam star anise for export, accounting for 70% of the country’s star anise area. There are more than 28,000 hectares that generate stable incomes. Each year, the province can produce around 15,000 metric tons of dried star anise. The annual estimated value is Vietnamese dong 1,700 billion.
Star anise is a typical agricultural product of the province, with high economic value. Star anise is the vital ingredients in many fields such as medicine, flavoring, and cuisine. Vietnam star anise for export is one of 39 geographical indications recognized and protected in the European Union.
Up to now, Van Quan district is the “Anise Kingdom”, with anise forest area of more than 14,000 hectares. In the harvesting season, coming to each village, we can feel faint, warm, strong anise scent mixed with the wild wind.
Mr. Be, a grower shared: “This year, Vietnam star anise for export has good quantity and price. Namely, the average selling price of star aniseed is 150 thousand Vietnamese dongs for each kilogram. Every year, my family harvests more than 20 metric tons of fresh star anise, earning 500 million Vietnamese dongs. Thanks to Vietnamese star anise, my family has built a solid house with expensive amenities”.
Local growers harvest fresh star anise, dry and then sell to the local spice traders. Ms. Hanh, a star anise trader shared: “To increase the value of Vietnam star anise for export, my family has invested in a steam star anise drying oven. This system increased the capacity by more than 10 times compared to manual drying. Since then, each year, my family has purchased and exported more than 100 metric tons of star aniseed”.
In addition to the Chinese market, Ms. Hanh signed contracts to export star anise to India and the Middle East. Currently, in Van Quan district, there are 20 star anise processing packing houses. However, most packing houses buy fresh star anise to process, dry and then sell to exporting spice companies in Vietnam.
Recently, there have been several people that produce deep star anise products, like essential oil. Mr. Tu, has boldly invested in processing star anise essential oil. His product has been exporting to markets that are more demanding in terms of quality.
Mr. Tu shared: “I have been involved in distilling star anise essential oil for more than 40 years. Previously, in the village, there were hundreds of households specializing in distilling star anise essential oil, using manual cooking methods. Now that scene no longer exists, because manual cooking is very expensive and the quality of the essential oil is not high”.
At the end of 2019, his family invested more than one billion Vietnamese dongs to install an electric star anise essential oil distillation system. According to Mr. Tu, this new star anise distillation system has a large capacity. Especially, each time can cook 100 liters of star anise essential oil with higher quality. Currently, Mr. Tu’s star anise essential oil product has been certified with 4-star OCOP and is exported to European countries.
Since 2020, the geographical indication of Lang Son star anise has been recognized and protected in the European Union. As a result, the province’s star anise market has improved, affirming its reputation in the domestic and international markets. In the past, star anise growers often suffered from a good output but low prices. However, the price of dried star anise has remained stable at around 150,000 Vietnamese dongs per kilogram since 2022.
These days, Lang Son has implemented many trade promotion programs, bringing the brand of Vietnam star anise for export. Therefore, star anise products are increasingly affirming their position in the international market. Currently, besides the Chinese market (the largest star anise export proportion), Lang Son star anise products are present in many countries such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia, England, America, France, Japan, Germany…
According to an export company of star anise, the company purchases more than 1,000 metric tons of fresh star anise from farmers. Then they process and export to other countries. Of which, India accounts for more than 80% of the total export volume of star anise.
In addition, the company is promoting its products such as star anise essential oil, organic spices, cinnamon sticks to supermarket systems of other countries. To obtain high-quality raw materials, the company focuses on cultivation and supervision. In addition, the company signs contracts of purchasing 700 hectares of star anise in the province.
In addition to exporting directly to foreign partners, companies also promote and expand star anise consumption channels on international trading platforms such as Alibaba and Amazon. Due to the application of legal procedure solutions and quality, Vietnamese star anise products have met the strict regulations from the international market.
Therefore, star anise products no longer depend on the traditional Chinese market but have expanded to the whole world. This helps stabilize output and increase product prices. In 2022, the output of star anise is 13,000 metric tons and the value is about 1,500 billion Vietnamese dongs.
Lang Son has identified star anise as one of the province’s key forestry crops, helping local people improve their lives, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. The province is making efforts to gradually increase the value of its products, aiming at the goal of sustainable development of this specialty plant, contributing to affirming the brand of Vietnam star anise in the world market.
Vietnamese sources: https://nhandan.vn