On September 19, the authorities of Mang Ri and Tu Mo Rong communes and people implemented solutions to prevent and overcome damage caused by mountain rats coming down to bite and destroy the Ngoc Linh ginseng garden planted in the natural forest area.
Mr. A Sy, residing in Mang Ri commune, and many other people made rat traps from bamboo, elastic bands, and bows to trap rats. One night, dozens of mountain rats specializing in destroying ginseng gardens were trapped and killed.
For many years, mountain rats have been a nightmare for people in mountainous Quang Ngai who grow Ngoc Linh ginseng. A herd of cunning rats, waiting until dark to break into a multi-year-old ginseng garden, bite, dig, and eat ginseng seeds...
This year, rats are breeding and destroying on a large area, causing serious economic and property damage to people and businesses linked to grow ginseng in the Mang Ri and Tu Mo Rong communes.
According to Mr. Pham Xuan Quang - Chairman of Mang Ri Commune People's Committee, at night when it is dark, people form groups and teams to enter the forest to guard the ginseng garden, trying to destroy or drive away the rat herd.
Previously, local people carved bamboo spikes and erected fences around ginseng gardens to prevent strangers from breaking in and stealing Ngoc Linh ginseng.
Pointed bamboo shoots are planted along the pine gardens to warn strangers, as well as prevent ginseng theft from afar in areas with an area of hundreds of hectares.
However, the level of destruction and economic damage caused by the mountain rat herd is much heavier than theft.
Thousands of ginseng trees from small to large were destroyed. In Mang Ri commune alone, according to reports, the estimated number of ginseng growing households destroyed is about 300, with a quantity of 10 - 100 trees.
The total number of damaged trees is about 7,500 trees aged 1 - 10 years old, affecting the area and income of people in the commune.
