Naturally Grown Turmeric Raw Material Zones Cultivated by Ethnic Minority Communities
Turmeric is one of the indigenous medicinal plants that has long been closely associated with the lives of ethnic minority communities in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. With favorable soil and climatic conditions, turmeric not only adapts well to the local environment but also holds strong potential to become a crop that delivers sustainable economic value when developed through well-organized production models.
Guided by its mission to promote agriculture linked with social responsibility, DATO has selected turmeric as one of its strategic crops, working closely with local communities to build naturally grown, transparent raw material zones oriented toward international markets.
Currently, DATO partners with more than 500 farming households, of which approximately 70% are ethnic minority families, to develop 300 hectares of clean spice and medicinal herb raw material zones that meet international standards.
For Naturally Grown Turmeric specifically, farmers are guided to follow a naturally grown cultivation approach:
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Fully reliant on natural rainfall
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No use of chemical fertilizers
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No use of plant protection chemicals
This approach not only preserves the natural purity and quality of turmeric rhizomes, but also contributes to ecosystem protection, maintains long-term soil fertility, and minimizes negative impacts on surrounding forest areas.
The Foundation for Sustainable Crop Transition
To ensure that turmeric becomes a crop capable of providing stable livelihoods, DATO supports farmers from seed selection to cultivation techniques. Turmeric varieties are carefully selected to suit local conditions, ensuring strong adaptability and meeting quality requirements for processing and export.
At the same time, DATO organizes activities such as:
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Transferring naturally grown turmeric farming techniques
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Providing guidance on soil management and crop rotation
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Accompanying farmers throughout the entire growing season
Through this model, many households have gradually shifted their crop structures, reducing dependence on low-efficiency crops and moving toward more stable and sustainable agricultural production.
From Farming Areas to Export Markets
One distinctive feature of DATO’s model is the integration of raw material development with export markets. Currently, DATO is an exporter of ginger to demanding markets such as the United States, Australia, South Korea, and the Middle East, demonstrating the credibility and quality control capabilities of Vietnamese agricultural products.
This export experience and these standards are consistently applied across the turmeric value chain, enabling:
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Production planning directly from the farming areas
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Improved awareness of clean cultivation and traceability
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Stable, long-term market access for farming communities
Export activities therefore go beyond commercial transactions, serving as a leverage to expand social impact and reinvest in local communities.
Diverse Turmeric Products
Naturally grown turmeric f cultivated by farmers in partnership with DATO is developed in various forms to meet diverse domestic and international market demands, including:
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Fresh turmeric
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Dried sliced turmeric
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Turmeric powder
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Value-added products such as convenient turmeric honey syrup
Alongside turmeric, DATO is also expanding exports of herbal syrups and herbal teas, including ginger–ginseng honey syrup, ginseng honey syrup, passion fruit–ginseng honey syrup, and more. These products are now available in markets such as the United States, China, Hungary, and others demonstrating DATO’s processing capacity, quality control systems, and compliance with international standards.
Conclusion
Naturally grown turmeric is not merely a medicinal herb, but the result of a development model that harmonizes business growth, community livelihoods, and environmental protection. Through building raw material linkages, providing technical support, enabling crop transition, and expanding exports, DATO is steadily bringing the value of indigenous agricultural products cultivated by ethnic minority communities to international markets in a sustainable and responsible way.
Every DATO product embodies sustainable agriculture and social responsibility. By choosing DATO, you are partnering with local farming communities and contributing to the responsible, transparent, and long-term growth of Vietnamese agricultural value on the global market.
