Accumulated in the first two months of 2024, Vietnam’s star anise exports reached 1,437 tons, worth 7.9 million USD. This was a slight decrease of 2.3% over the same period in last year.
Vietnam’s star anise exports reached 1,437 tons in the first two months of 2024.
In 2023, Vietnam exported 16,136 tons of star anise, worth 83 million USD. This was a sharp increase of 26% in volume. The average export price last year was 6,376 USD/ton, down 8% compared to 2022. India and China are the two largest markets with 7,860 tons and 4,116 tons, accounting for 48.7% and 25.5% of the export market, respectively. It is worth mentioning that star anise is rare in the world.
China, Vietnam, and India are now the dominant suppliers of star anise worldwide. Among them, Vietnam and China are the only two countries that can produce star anise in large quantities thanks to favorable conditions.
Star anise tree is 2-6m tall and green all year round with a straight stem and fragile branches. If star anise is well cared for, it will flower after four years of planting. The yield from the 4-6th year is 0.5 -1 kg/tree so the star anise is even more precious. From the 20th year onwards, the tree will have a stable yield of up to 40 – 50 kg/tree. If star anise is properly cared for, it will produce high and stable yields, extending the harvest time up to 80 years.
In Vietnam, star anise is often used as a spice. Because it is spicy and fragrant, star anise is used in many dishes such as pho, curry, or stew to help create flavor, giving the dish a strong and unique taste. Besides, star anise also creates appetite and stimulates taste.
Vietnam currently has more than 5,100 species of medicinal plants, which have many potentials and advantages to develop medicinal herbs into an economic industry./.