Korea is reputed worldwide for its top-quality ginseng and ideal weather and soil for ginseng farming. For many centuries, Korean ginseng has been called the elixir of life
for its mysterious medicinal effects.
Medical doctors around the world have delved into the efficacy of Korean ginseng to find which substances in ginseng bring about the miraculous effects. Over 2,500 treatises on ginseng have been released so far, but the mystery remains unsolved.
Korean ginseng is generally known to be the most effective in building up stamina, recovering liver functions, slowing the pace of aging, stabilizing blood pressure, strengthening stomach functions, preventing arteriosclerosis and cancer and enhancing immunity. Recent studies show that ginseng is effective in suppressing the proliferation of the AIDS virus.
Choi Hyung-ki, urologist at Yonsei University, found in a clinical test last year that Korean red ginseng , among others, has some effect on the treatment of impotence.
"Red ginseng was found to promote the generation of sex hormones by relaxing physical tension and reducing stress," he said.
Ginseng originally grew wild in mountains. About 1,600 years ago, farmers began to grow ginseng in mountains by sowing seeds of mountain ginseng . Ginseng farming skills have since been developed. In late 16th century, ginseng was first grown on plain fields in Korea.
Ginseng scientists say that Korean weather and soil are most suitable for ginseng farming. Korean ginseng grows only between 33 degrees north latitude and 48 degrees north parallel. The central area of the country is best for ginseng cultivation, both climatically and geologically.
Of course, ginseng also grows in America, China and Japan, but Korean ginseng is generally considered to be the best.
Ginseng never grows where there is an abundance of water and sun. It requires moderate rainfall, wide variation in temperature between day and night, and four distinct seasons.
The soil muuust drain well.
Geologists say that the central part of Korea has suitable conditions for ginseng growth.
For centuries, Korean ginseng farmers have developed a unique cultivation method, which they call "shade farming." To produce high quality ginseng , they grow seedlings in a seedbed for a year and a half, then transplant them on a field under artificial well-ventilated shades made of tree branches.
Ginseng farming is difficult and requires great care. Unlike other herbs, ginseng grows so slow that its root normally weighs 3 ounces even when it matures. Furthermore, ginseng fields can only be used every 10 to 15 years. Farmers should wait until minerals, nutrients and ecological balance are perfect.
Ginseng is harvested four or five years after seeds are sown and dried into white ginseng , while ginseng to be made into red ginseng is collected six years after sowing.
Korea Tobacco Ginseng Corp. (KTG), a state enterprise, separated its red ginseng division and made it a subsidiary corporation Jan. 1, this year to boost the sales of its ginseng and ginseng products.
The corporation processes six-year-old white ginseng alone to make red ginseng . Ginseng matures at the age of six years, when medicinal effects of various substances reach their peak.
The KTG subsidiary also sells red ginseng at home and abroad in the form of cold beverages, tea, capsules and raw roots. It produces about 540 tons of red ginseng annually.
While white ginseng is made of raw ginseng by peeling and drying it, red ginseng is made of raw ginseng by steaming, then sun-drying it while keeping its peel intact.
One of the reasons why the corporation makes red ginseng is that anticancer substances, such as gensenoside Rh2 and maltol, are produced in the process of steaming raw ginseng .
The steaming process also improves the shelf life and digestibility of red ginseng products. Red ginseng is known to be effective in treating headache, fatiguue, dizziness, nausea,
asthma, hemorrhage and impotence. Red ginseng products have established themselves as the nation's biggest export item among agricultural products. They are shipped to some 40
countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, European and Southeast Asian nations.
The corporation has about 500 overseas sales agencies across the world. In Taiwan and Hong Kong, where demand for Korean ginseng is high, and large sales centers are established. Red
ginseng products made by the corporation, thus guaranteed by the government, are sold by the registered trade name of "Cheong Kwang Jang."1999.05.04
|
Newsdesk