Spices

Overview: Star anise is a specialty of northern Vietnam, which is the world's second-largest producer after China. Annual production is about 20,000–30,000 tonnes, and it is characterized by the strong, sweet aroma from its distinctive star-shaped fruit. Besides being a culinary spice, it is a source of shikimic acid, the raw material for the influenza drug Tamiflu...

Overview: Vietnam is the world's third-largest producer of cinnamon (cassia), with an annual output of about 40,000 tonnes of bark and about 20,000 tonnes of essential oil. Vietnamese cinnamon is known for its strong aroma and high essential-oil content, and is used worldwide as a raw material for spices, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The cultivation area is about 1...

Overview: Vietnam is the world's largest pepper producer and exporter, accounting for about 40% of global pepper output. Annual output reaches about 180,000 to 200,000 tonnes, and pepper, known as the 'king of spices', is an important export crop for Vietnam. In addition to black pepper, white pep...