These days, Xo Dang ethnic minority communities in the mountainous western region of Quang Ngai are busy caring for and harvesting Javanese bellflower root, Asian bellflower or Dang Shen ginseng as the medicinal herb has become increasingly scarce.
Javanese bellflower root is a valuable medicinal plant widely cultivated in the highland communes of western Quang Ngai, formerly part of Kon Plong, Tu Mo Rong and Dak Glei in the former Kon Tum Province. The crop can be grown year-round, with both its leaves and roots harvested, providing an important source of income for many ethnic minority households.
It is used to produce a variety of food and medicinal products, including chicken hotpot, chicken soup, Javanese bellflower root extract, Javanese bellflower root cakes, skincare masks and beverages.
In Mang Ri Commune alone, about 500 Xo Dang households cultivate codonopsis root across several hundred hectares.
According to local observations, the herb is grown on hillside slopes, beneath forest canopies or intercropped with coffee, corn and boi loi (litsea) trees in areas with cool temperatures and high humidity. Farmers are busy clearing weeds and tending the lush green fields.
After harvesting, the Javanese bellflower root is sold to local collection agents before being purchased by traders and transported to provinces and cities across the country. Current supply is insufficient to meet market demand.
Chairman Pham Xuan Quang of the Mang Ri Commune People's Committee, said fresh Javanese bellflower root is currently selling for between VND80,000 and VND150,000 per kilogram, the highest price on record due to surging consumer demand. Although many businesses have offered to purchase the crop under long-term supply agreements, local farmers are still unable to produce enough to fulfill orders.
In the coming period, the commune plans to review available land and encourage residents to rehabilitate underutilized gardens and expand intercropping of Javanese bellflower root with other crops to increase incomes and contribute to sustainable poverty reduction.
