A Vietnamese spice is bought a lot by India, United States, and South Korea, but lacks a national strategy

The Vietnam Cinnamon Sustainable Development Conference 2022 highlighted the growth of Vietnam's cinnamon industry, with 170,000 hectares under cultivation in provinces like Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Quang Nam. The country's cinnamon bark reserves are estimated to be around 900,000 - 1.2 million tons per year, resulting in an export value of 276 million USD in 2022. However, the industry faces challenges such as lack of sustainable development strategies, absence of public-private cooperation, and lack of technological investment for deep processing. There is also concern about heavy metal contamination from rapidly expanding cinnamon plantations. The conference emphasized the need for a national cinnamon development strategy, public-private partnerships, and updating market requirements to ensure product quality and sustainability. The American Spices Association pointed out the need for businesses to meet new residue threshold standards and highlighted the benefits of organic products.