Vietnam’s “national treasure” tree: Price can reach billions of dong, a recent major theft occurred

​​​​

This Panax vietnamensis is a rare and valuable plant species. It is not only famous for its precious ginseng root, but also for its valuable leaves. The Ngoc Linh ginseng root, with a large weight, is often found in nature and is bought back at prices from hundreds of millions to even billions of Vietnamese dong.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is a very expensive ginseng because the roots contain 52% saponin, which is very good for health. In addition, Ngoc Linh ginseng leaves contain about 80% of the saponin content in the root, so they are considered precious herbal medicine. Therefore, the price of Ngoc Linh ginseng ranges from 90 to 300 million VND/kg.

Theft of over 800 Ngoc Linh ginseng plants in Kon Tum

On the morning of February 28, the People’s Committee of Tu Mo Rong district (Kon Tum province) said that it had directed the District Police to investigate the individuals who took advantage of the Lunar New Year to steal more than 800 Ngoc Linh ginseng plants from local people. Specifically, the culprits broke into the ginseng gardens of the people in Dak Na, Dak Sao, Te Xang, and Ngoc Lay communes (Tu Mo Rong district) to steal the precious ginseng. The incident was reported by the locals.

Immediately after receiving the information, the People’s Committee of Tu Mo Rong district set up an inter-agency team to inspect the scene and assess the damage caused by the theft. Accordingly, the authorities identified that over 800 Ngoc Linh ginseng plants (from 4 to 10 years old) of the people were stolen. The inter-agency team is currently conducting a count and calculating the value of this Ngoc Linh ginseng theft.

Furthermore, the district police are also screening the suspects, while coordinating with neighboring districts to cordon off the area and track down the culprits. In fact, the People’s Committee of Tu Mo Rong district has been encouraging local people to be on guard in the gardens 24/7 and installing cameras to prevent repeated theft.

So, how precious is Ngoc Linh ginseng?

According to experts, Ngoc Linh ginseng was discovered in the Ngoc Linh mountain range, located in Kon Tum and Quang Nam provinces. In 1978, scientists conducted a survey and recorded that the Ngoc Linh mountainous area had 6,000-7,000 ginseng plants densely growing, with a density of 1m²/1 plant. In fact, Ngoc Linh ginseng naturally grows at an altitude of 1,200 meters and above, with the highest being 1,700-2,000 meters, under the shade of old, humid forests enriched with humus.

Ngoc Linh ginseng can live for a very long time, even over 100 years. According to researchers, the leaves and leaf stems of Ngoc Linh ginseng contain 19 pamaran saponins, 8 saponins with new structures, 17 amino acids, 20 trace minerals, and 0.1% essential oil. Ngoc Linh ginseng has the ability to combat stress, prevent cancer, and protect liver cells. Patients who consume Ngoc Linh ginseng can sleep well, enhance their vision, and boost their immune system. For the elderly and those with weakened immunity or various underlying diseases, regular consumption of Ngoc Linh ginseng helps restore health and strengthen the immune system.

Moreover, only Vietnamese Ngoc Linh ginseng contains dammaran saponin compound with ocotillol and majonosid-R2 (MR2), accounting for over 50% of the saponin content in ginseng. This compound allows Ngoc Linh ginseng to be processed into various medicinal preparations, thereby effectively treating many dangerous diseases. Therefore, Ngoc Linh ginseng is considered the most precious ginseng in the world.

According to ginseng growers, Ngoc Linh ginseng is harvested after 5 years or longer. The older the Ngoc Linh ginseng plant is, the more valuable the ginseng becomes. In reality, planting Ngoc Linh ginseng has brought significant income to many farmers in the mountainous regions of Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces.

Due to its rarity and medicinal value, some people are willing to spend billions of Vietnamese dong to buy this type of ginseng. In 2018, as shared on Dan Tri newspaper, a ginseng collector in Hanoi said that he spent nearly 2 billion VND to own a Ngoc Linh ginseng root weighing 2.7 kg and measuring 1.2 m in length. It was also the largest natural Ngoc Linh ginseng root until that time.

In 2019, a Ngoc Linh ginseng root over 100 years old, weighing 920 grams and measuring about 70 cm in length, was bought by an individual in Kon Tum at a price nearly 1 billion VND. Most recently, in early August 2023, a Ngoc Linh ginseng plant over 20 years old, with 9 branches and 9 flowers, was sold for 868 million VND in the Ngoc Linh ginseng market in Quang Nam.