The situation of fake ginseng mixture
Mr. Ho Van Nen - a long-time ginseng grower in Tra Linh commune, Nam Tra My district - continuously received calls asking to buy "ftake-out Ngoc Linh ginseng" for just over 10 million VND/kg. It is worth mentioning that the buyer confirmed that he bought ginseng from... Mr. Nen.
"They sent me photos, I immediately recognized the counterfeit goods. Not my ginseng, nor is it Ngoc Linh ginseng. They took advantage of my name to sell fake goods, Mr. Nen was upset.
The situation of impersonating and mixing fake ginseng is common in the "capital" of Nam Tra My ginseng. From fresh ginseng, wine, tea bags to capsules, the product self-proclaimed "Ngoc Linh ginseng" is popular. Prices range from a few million to a few tens of millions of VND/kg, but most of them have not been inspected or traced.
"Consumers cannot distinguish between real and fake, buy poor quality goods by mistake and turn their backs on real ginseng. The biggest damage is to serious growers and businesses, Mr. Tran Van Man - Vice Chairman of Nam Tra My District People's Committee - warned.
According to statistics, Nam Tra My district has about 1,500 households growing ginseng on more than 1,200 hectares, of which more than 1,000 hectares have been harvested. Fresh ginseng prices range from 75 to 100 million VND/kg, even some roots cost up to 200 million VND. However, even at ginseng markets organized by the government, the current selling price has decreased by nearly half compared to a few years ago.
Lack of inspection tools
One of the major reasons for the popularity of fake ginseng is the lack of on-site quality assessment tools.
Mr. Trinh Minh Quy - Director of the Agricultural Technical Center of Nam Tra My district - said that the locality currently does not have DNA testing equipment or active ingredient testing rooms.
"We can only distinguish with the naked eye: softness, color, scars... But the counterfeit goods are now processed very sophisticatedly, the shape is very similar. Without equipment and appraisal standards, it is impossible to protect a brand, Mr. Quy emphasized.
Mr. Quy proposed to immediately invest in a local testing room, while applying origin encryption technology to trace shipments from the growing area to the final product.
Meanwhile, the current inspection cost is too high, the time is long, making it difficult for small-scale growers and small and medium-sized enterprises to access. This invisibly paves the way for counterfeit goods to attack the market.
In 2024, Quang Nam province approved more than VND1,800 billion for the Vietnamese ginseng development program until 2030. The main content includes planning growing areas, issuing codes, building inspection centers, supporting traceability using QR codes, anti-counterfeit stamps, etc.
However, in reality, the real ginseng distribution system still mainly relies on the form of cross-hand trading. The lack of trading floors, auction centers, standardized identification... makes consumers easily deceived, while growers suffer double losses.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Luc - Chairman of Ngoc Linh Quang Nam ginseng Association, Director of Sam Sam Company Limited - frankly said: "No one has been prosecuted for selling fake ginseng yet. Meanwhile, the damage to businesses and farmers is immeasurable. Once trust is lost, it is difficult to regain it.
Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee - Mr. Ho Quang Buu - said that to protect the Ngoc Linh ginseng brand, it is necessary to combine many solutions: From completing legality, investing in a modern inspection system, to strictly handling fraudulent behavior and especially communication with consumer orientation.
