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“Ngọc Linh”  has been registered as geographical indication (GI) for ginseng by  GI Registration Certificate No. 00049 attached to Decision No. 3235/QD-SHTT dated 18 June 2016 of the Director General of National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP). As stipulated in this Decision, ginseng products bearing the GI are from Ngọc Linh mountain within territories of Măng Ri and Ngọc Lây communes f (Tu Mơ Rông district, Kon Tum province) and Trà Linh commune  (Nam Trà My district, Quảng Nam province). 

Ngọc Linh Ginseng is a herbaceous plant with scientific name of Panax vietnamensis and belongs to  Araliaceae family. Before the discovery of scientists, Ngọc Linh ginsengs had been used by  ethnic minorities as a traditional medicine from wild plant that can cure many ailments. Ngọc Linh Ginseng has officially been known in Viet Nam since 19 March 1973. During the last 40 years, domestic and international scientists have proven that Ngọc Linh Ginseng is the  rare and best gingseng in the world. For such special quality of Ngọc Linh Ginseng, on 16 August 2016, the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP)  issued Decision No. 3235/QD-SHTT on granting Certificate of Geographical Indication Registration No. 00049 for Ngọc Linh Ginseng of Kon Tum and Quảng Nam provinces. However, in fact, Ngọc Linh Ginseng is not limited to in geographical area as specified  in Decision No. 3235/QD-SHTT. This is the center with altitude of 1800 - 2500 meter and organic matter layer of over 18 centimeter thickness which are the most suitable conditions for ginseng development with the best quality. In reality, the production area of Ngọc Linh Ginseng in Kon Tum and Quảng Nam is exceeded the announced GI area and is still in area of Ngọc Linh mountain with similar natural conditions, production practices and variety of ginseng to the announced GI. Therefore, on 22 June 2018, Kon Tum’s Department of Science and Technology, with the authorization of Quảng Nam’s Department of Science and Technology, filed request for amendments of GI Registration Certificate No. 00049 regarding peculiar characteristics and product quality as well as expansion of  geographical area. On 30 July 2018, Director General of the NOIP  issued Decision No. 2465/QD-SHTT on the amendments of GI Registration Certificate No. 00049. This Decision has replaced Decision No. 3235/QD-SHTT dated 16 August 2016 of  Director General of the NOIP on granting the GI Registration Certificate of Ngọc Linh for ginseng. 

Ngọc Linh Ginseng has straight posture with green or slightly purple colour. Its root has multiple nodes and curves with length of around 3.5 – 10.5 centimeter and diameter of around 0.5 – 2.0 centimeter. The outer surface of gingseng has brown or yellowish grey colour. The tuberous root has a spindle shape with 2.4 – 4 centimeter long and diameter of 1.5 – 2 centimeter. The tuberous root’s colour is slightly brown, it also features horizontal edges and rootlet nodes. It has a solid body which is hard to break.  

                           Ngọc Linh Ginseng flower                                 Ngọc Linh Ginseng fruit 

Average weights of fresh and dried ginsengs are increased by age. Specifically, average weight of 4-year-old whole rootlets fresh ginseng is 14.20g; 5-year-old’s is 16.78g; 6-year-old’s is 19.63g; 7-year-old’s is 22.78g; 8-year-old’s is 24.40g; 9-year-old’s is 26.70g; 10-year-old’s is 28.68g; 15-year-old’s is 31.60g. Average weight of 4-year-old dried ginseng is 4.13g; 5-year-old’s is 4.58g; 6-year-old’s is 5.54g; 7-year-old’s is 6.92g; 8-year-old’s is 7.53g; 9-year-old’s is 7.83g; 10-year-old’s is 8.71g; 15-year-old’s is 9.47g. 

The quality of ginseng is evaluated by  criteria related to saponin content. Whole saponin content and  content of main compositions of saponin of Ngọc Linh Ginseng also tend to increase with its age. Specifically, the average content of whole saponin of 4-year-old ginseng is 7.15 ± 0.1411%; 5-year-old’s is 8.91 ± 0.1375%; 6-year-old’s is 10.67 ± 0.2792%; 7-year-old’s is 12.43 ± 0.2984%; 8-year-old’s is 14.19 ± 0.0158%; 9-year-old’s is 15.94 ± 0.2862%; 10-year-old’s is 19.75 ± 0.2712%; 15-year-old’s is 19.93 ± 0.7299%. The contents of main compositions of saponin including R2 (MR2), Gingsenosid Rg1 (G-Rg1), Gingsenosid Rb1 (G-Rb1) in 4-year-old ginseng are: MR2: 2.04±0.0024%;  G-Rg1: 1.11±0.0032%;  G-Rb1: 0.73±0.0103%; 5-year-old’s are: MR2: 3.02±0.1762%;  G-Rg1: 1.30±0.0347%;  G-Rb1: 0.75±0.0398%; 6-year-old’s are: MR2: 3.62±0.1027%;  G-Rg1: 1.63±0.0478%;  G-Rb1: 0.88±0.0386%; 7-year-old’s are: MR2: 4.35±0.0399%;  G-Rg1: 2.33±0.0439%;  G-Rb1: 0.89±0.0212%; 8-year-old’s are: MR2: 4.96±0.0606%;  G-Rg1: 2.53±0.0786%;  G-Rb1: 0.95±0.0117%; 9-year-old’s are: MR2: 5.58±0.0768%;  G-Rg1: 2.73±0.0965%;  G-Rb1: 1.12±0.0764%; 10-year-old’s are: MR2: 7.46±0.0176%;  G-Rg1: 3.26±0.0398%;  G-Rb1: 1.58±0.1070%; 15-year-old’s are: MR2: 7.97±0.0391%;  G-Rg1: 4.17±0.0388%;  G-Rb1: 1.96±0.0234%. 

Ngọc Linh Ginseng’s reputation is thanks to its peculiar quality and its development process which is suitable to  unique natural conditions of the geographical area. The high mountainous area of Ngọc Linh Mountain of Kon Tum and Quảng Nam provinces has  altitude from 1,200  to 2,500 meter with forest coverage of over 70%; the terrain is highly disruptive, with high inclination and a number of narrow and deep gorges. Climate of this geographical area has many peculiear features, spanning from humid tropic to highland subtropic climates, which are suitable to the development of ginseng, i.e annual average rainfall of  2,500 – 3,400 milimeter, focusing in June to September on the West slope and in September to November on the East slope.  

Annual total heat amounts to under 7,500^oC. Annual average temperature ranges in 14 - 20.5^oC. The amplitude of temperature variance between day and night ranges in 8 - 9^oC. Annual average total vaporization is 670 – 870 milimeter. Annual average humidity is 84 - 87.5%. The most particular feature is that the geographical area resides in the protogenic forest of provinces of Kon Tum and Quảng Nam, where the flora is diversified, the coverage of over 70%,  and the thickness of the organic matter layer is over 15 centimeter. Ngọc Linh Ginseng is planted exclusively on locally formulated grey soils, located on various terrain. The soil property of the geographical area: the mechanical composition of the soil is from silt loam to silty clay loam. Level of loam particle is  47.21 - 69.51%, level of silt particle is 6.46 - 23.22%, level of clay particle is 17.66 - 32.71%. The soils are acidic, with pHH₂O of 3.72 - 4.81, pHKCL of 3.09 - 4.07. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) is 7.62 - 21.69 meq/100 gram of soil, total base cation saturation is 0.22 - 3.62 meq/100 gram of soil. Acid saturation is 0.24 - 2.22 meg/100 gram of soil. The soil has high content of organic carbon and total protein, at 2.40 - 10.07%OC and 0.08 - 0.57%N.                                                                                   

Geographical area: communes of Mường Hoong,  Ngọc Linh,  Xốp of Đắk Glei district; communes of Đăk Na,  Măng Ri,  Ngọc Lây,  Ngọc Yêu,  Văn Xuôi,  Tê Xăng of Tu Mơ Rông district, Kon Tum province; communes of Trà Linh,  Trà Nam,  Trà Cang,  Trà Dơn,  Trà Don,  Trà Leng,  Trà Tập of Nam Trà My district, Quảng Nam province. 

Geographical Indication and International Trademark Division