According to the World Spice Association, Vietnam has a precious spice, with an annual production ranking among the top in the world, which is star anise. Currently, Vietnam is a potential supplier for the global spice and flavor market.
Statistics from the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA) show that Vietnam’s star anise exports in November reached 1,147 tons with a turnover of 5 million USD, a decrease of 13.8% compared to October.
In 11 months of the year, Vietnam exported 12,299 tons of star anise with a turnover of 57.6 million USD, a decrease of 10.6% in volume and 19.1% in value. India continued to be Vietnam’s largest export market with 8,116 tons, accounting for 66% of the total.
Vietnam’s star anise production ranks second in the world, after China, with an estimated annual output of 22,000 tons over an area of about 55,000 hectares. Star anise is a rare spice, almost found in Vietnam and China. It is mainly cultivated in the northern border provinces of Vietnam, such as Lang Son and Cao Bang, bringing high economic value.
Star anise exports have brought in over 57 million USD since the beginning of the year.
The star anise tree usually grows to a height of 2-6 meters, with a straight trunk and green all year round. There are two harvest seasons in a year, making star anise even rarer and more precious. Typically, if the star anise tree is cared for well, it will bloom after 4-5 years of planting and can be harvested for several decades. The yield of the star anise tree from the 4th to 6th year is about 0.5-1 kg per tree. From the 20th year onwards, the star anise tree will provide a stable output, reaching 40-50 kg per tree.
Currently, the global demand for importing spices and flavorings is on the rise. Meanwhile, Vietnam is a country that exports many spice and flavor products. India is a potential target market for Vietnamese businesses in this field. Some Vietnamese enterprises are developing mixed spice products to create new flavors for the tastes of Indian consumers.
Vietnam has about 500,000 hectares of various spices, with about 400 enterprises and hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers participating in the production and export of these products. However, Vietnam’s spices have only exploited about 40-50% of their potential, and there is a vast room for development in Vietnam’s spice industry.
It is expected that the total export turnover of Vietnamese spices could reach about 2 billion USD by 2025, with an export volume of around 500,000 tons. To achieve this goal, localities should build a plan for the development of spices, support businesses in building brands, introduce scientific and technological advancements into production, and enhance product quality. To achieve this goal, localities develop spice crops according to the plan, support businesses in building brands, and apply scientific and technological advancements into production to improve product quality.