Despite being widely sold in markets in Vietnam, this item is actually rare worldwide.
Turmeric is a familiar spice among the Vietnamese people and is easily found in local markets and supermarkets. This perennial herbaceous plant can grow up to 1 meter tall, has a high branching structure, a yellow-orange color, cylindrical shape, and aromatic rhizomes.
Turmeric is a perennial herbaceous plant. (Illustrative image).
Originating from India, turmeric is widely popular in Vietnam, yet it remains a rare spice globally, found only in certain tropical countries such as India, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Nigeria.
In Vietnam, turmeric is cultivated in many regions, from coastal plains to high mountainous areas above 1500 meters, and it even grows wild in rice fields and gardens.
Vietnam is one of the countries with the largest turmeric cultivation areas in the world, with over 50,000 hectares (as of 2021).
Turmeric is primarily grown in the Central and Central Highlands provinces, such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong… Vietnamese turmeric is known for its high quality, with curcumin content ranging from 3-5%.
In addition to its use as a spice, turmeric can also treat many symptoms such as: antibacterial properties, prevention of colorectal cancer, liver cancer, treatment of stomach pain, abdominal discomfort…
According to statistics from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA), the export of ginger, turmeric, and some other spices reached 40.8 million USD with 30,476 tons in the first nine months of the year, marking a significant increase of 294% compared to the same period in 2022. Major import markets for these products include China with 9,796 tons, an increase of 802% year-on-year. Following China, Bangladesh imported 5,844 tons, up 100%. India ranked third with 3,722 tons, an increase of 48.7%. Notably, Laos imported 2,927 tons of ginger, turmeric, and spices from Vietnam, showing a staggering growth of 11,608% compared to the same period in 2022.
In the entire year of 2022, the export of this product group generated over 23.1 million USD.
Source: Data from VPA
Turmeric powder is one of the key products in Vietnam’s food processing industry.
According to data from the General Department of Customs, Vietnam’s turmeric powder export value reached 9.8 million USD in the first nine months of 2023, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Major export markets for Vietnam include the United States, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and various European countries.
Partners have assessed that Vietnamese turmeric powder has beautiful coloration, a pleasant aroma, lacks the bitterness of regular turmeric, and contains no impurities or preservatives. It retains the curcumin content in turmeric, which has many health and beauty benefits. Curcumin is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties, aiding digestion, protecting the liver, enhancing the immune system, improving memory, and promoting skin whitening.
Vietnamese turmeric powder has beautiful coloration and a pleasant aroma. (Illustrative image).
Currently, Vietnam has 500,000 hectares of various spice crops, with around 400 enterprises and hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers involved in the production and export of these items. Moreover, Vietnam is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of spices. However, the potential of Vietnam’s spice crops is only about 40-50% exploited, leaving significant room for development in the spice industry.
It is projected that the total export value of Vietnam’s spice products could reach approximately 2 billion USD by 2025, with an export volume of around 500,000 tons.
