As one of the largest cinnamon areas in the world and the second-largest in Vietnam, the growing area in northern Lao Cai province has expanded rapidly over recent years.

The province is now home to 57,000 ha of cinnamon, or nearly eight times more than in 2012.

It has been forecast that its raw cinnamon area will continue to grow, and the entire cinnamon area is to be converted to sustainable production, with over 30 per cent of the growing area to be certified as organic.

In the 2024-2030 period, Lao Cai expects to exploit over 40,000 tons of dried cinnamon bark, 350,000 tons of branch and leaves, and some 210,000 cu m of wood, and yield between 1,600 - 2,000 tons of cinnamon essential oil each year.

However, to ensure the local industry’s sustainability, it is essential to define markets and produce products that meet tastes.

It is also significant to accelerate the participation of businesses, which connect cooperatives and export markets, and to link local farming households to develop concentrated cinnamon material areas.

The province should introduce suitable mechanisms and policies encouraging the participation of businesses and investors, develop geographical indications for local organic cinnamon areas, and strengthen the role of State management over essential oil processing facilities, to avoid massive development and unhealthy competition.