Artichoke, or atiso in Vietnamese, has become an agricultural icon of Vietnam, especially in the cool-climate highlands. Widely used in traditional cuisine and medicine, Vietnamese artichoke is also a valuable export product, bringing its delicate sweetness and amazing health benefits to international markets.
1. Origin and Growing Regions
Artichokes were brought to Vietnam by the French in the early 20th century and have quickly adapted to the soil and climate of the country’s high-altitude regions.
- Da Lat (Lam Dong): This is the “capital” of artichokes in Vietnam. The mild, cool climate year-round, along with fertile red basalt soil, creates ideal conditions for the artichoke plant to grow, producing large, succulent flowers with a high nutritional content.
- Sa Pa (Lao Cai): Along with Da Lat, Sa Pa is also a famous artichoke-growing region, known for its high-quality dried artichoke products.
2. Export Product Forms
Vietnamese artichoke products are very diverse, meeting a wide range of needs in the global market.
- Fresh Artichoke: Primarily green artichoke flowers, harvested when young, carefully packaged, and exported to nearby markets like Japan and South Korea, where there is a high demand for fresh produce for cooking.
- Dried Artichoke Tea: This is the most common export form. Dried artichoke flowers, stems, roots, or leaves are dried using modern technology to preserve their medicinal properties and flavor. Dried artichoke tea is packaged as tea bags or in the form of pure dried flowers.
- Artichoke Extract (Cao Atiso): A concentrated product from artichoke, processed into a liquid or soft paste, which is highly convenient and of high value.
3. Export Markets
Vietnamese artichoke has been asserting its position in many demanding markets.
- Asia: Japan and South Korea are markets that favor fresh artichoke and processed dried artichoke products. The demand for liver-detoxifying and health-beneficial products here is very high.
- Europe and North America: These markets are particularly interested in artichoke tea and extract due to their body-cleansing and liver-detoxifying properties. The increasing trend of using natural herbal remedies is a great opportunity for Vietnamese artichoke.
- Australia: Also a potential market, favoring value-added artichoke products like extracts, teas, and syrups.
4. Challenges and Advantages
The Vietnamese artichoke industry has significant strengths but also faces many challenges.
Advantages
- High-Quality Raw Materials: Artichokes grown in Vietnam’s highlands have high quality and excellent medicinal properties, especially cynarin, which is highly valued by the market.
- Cultivation and Processing Expertise: Farmers have long-standing experience, and this, combined with modern processing technology, has created stable and diverse product quality.
- Competitive Pricing: Production costs in Vietnam are lower than in many other countries, giving the product a price advantage.
Challenges
- Climate Volatility: The artichoke plant is very sensitive to weather. Climate change can affect yield and quality.
- Trade Barriers: Demanding markets often have strict standards for food safety, pesticide residues, and require certifications like GlobalGAP.
- Transportation: Fresh artichoke is a perishable product and requires a strict cold chain to ensure quality.
Vietnamese artichoke, with its continuous efforts, is gradually establishing its place in the international market, bringing high economic value and helping to promote the image of Vietnamese agriculture as high-quality and safe.
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