Vietnamese farmers increase agricultural value through deep processing

Farmers in Vietnam are enhancing the economic value of traditional crops by transitioning from raw sales to deep processing models.

In Nghia Dong commune, Nghe An province, a cooperative is developing a 10-hectare periwinkle (tía tô) cultivation area. Instead of selling only fresh leaves, the cooperative distills the plants into essential oils. With an estimated extraction rate of 1 liter of oil per ton of raw material, a 90-ton harvest can produce approximately 90 liters of oil. Given market prices of 10–12 million VND per liter, the potential revenue per crop cycle is estimated at around 1 billion VND, though actual profits depend on production costs and market demand.

Similarly, in Quang Ngai province, farmers are utilizing indigenous medicinal plants to create sustainable livelihoods. In Truong Giang commune, local producers are shifting from traditional crops to noni (cây nhàu). By implementing a strict four-step fermentation process to produce pure noni juice rather than selling raw fruit, farmers have achieved more stable and higher income levels. This model focuses on closed-loop production to ensure product quality and value.