Starting up from fig

Made of fruits available in nature, Chi Lang fig tea not only brings about many benefits to consumers’ health but also contributes to increasing people’s income. This is an idea that is highly appreciated at the Innovation Startup Contest 2022.

Fig is a species of tree available in the province, fig tree is grown for ornamental purpose, it can grow naturally in home gardens, on moist soil in mountainous areas, foothills and valleys. Research shows that fig has a lot of fiber, natural sugar, minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, antioxidants, vitamins… According to folklore, fig has cooling and laxative effects, it can stabilize digestion, relieve cough and pain, enhance blood circulation. According to modern medicine, fig is able to prevent constipation, lower cholesterol, prevent cardiovascular disease, stabilize blood sugar, prevent blood pressure, protect bones, prevent cancer, etc. Despite its various benefits for health, this fruit is not widely known for use. Therefore, the start-up team includes Linh Thi Anh Nguyet; Dinh Thi Thu Huong; Nguyen Thi Thom; Trieu Diem Quynh; Nguyen Ngoc Anh from Center for Vocational and Continuing Education of Chi Lang district had an idea to start up from the production and processing of fig tea.

Members of the start-up team process fig tea

Ms. Linh Thi Anh Nguyet, Start-up team leader, said: “Research shows that in Huu Kien and Quan Son communes of Chi Lang district, there are many fig trees that grow naturally, some households also grow this tree for its shade. Experimental planting at Center for Vocational and Continuing Education of Chi Lang district proves that the tree is very easy to grow, does not take much care to produce fruit all year round in large quantities. Most people only pick ripe fig to eat but use them for anything else. With the desire to take advantage of fig to increase people’s income, we come up with the idea to make fig tea.”

The raw materials for making fig tea are fig that is neither too young nor too old. It is cleaned and sliced. Afterwards, it is dried in the sun to achieve a certain degree of dryness, then continues to be dried on a pan on a charcoal stove. When it becomes yellow and fragrant, let it cool and then pack and label it. With this processing method, fig tea can be preserved for about 6 months. In order to create a delicious fig tea product with unique flavor, the team has invested time and effort in researching and selecting good quality ingredients, testing drying temperature and time in order to create products with characteristic aroma, easy to use, suitable for many objects.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom, a member of the start-up team said: “In the near future, we plan to invest in building a factory with a scale of 50m2 and all kinds of slicers, dryers, drying machines, bag welding machines, electronic scales, drying trays, computers, food safety and hygiene inspection, quality inspection… with a total cost of about 260 million VND. Since May 2021, the team started researching the method of making fig tea. To make one kilogram of fig tea requires 7 kilograms of fresh fig. Currently, the team is purchasing fresh fig with the cost of 5,000 VND/kg. According to preliminary calculation, with a capacity of 1,000 kg of products/year, the selling price is 150,000 VND/kg, the annual revenue is about 150 million VND.”

In the coming time, the team will introduce the product to tourist spots in Chi Lang district and Lang Son city, fairs. Additionally, the team will also build production facilities to create product and improve product quality.

According to the assessment of Ms. Be Thi Thu Hien, Head of the Jury of the Innovation Startup Competition in Lang Son province in 2022, fig tea is a new and unique product. If it is developed into a commodity product, it will not only take advantage of the abundant and available natural raw materials, but also create jobs and increase income for people.

At the Innovation Startup Competition in Lang Son province in 2022, Chi Lang fig tea was one of 13 ideas that entered the final round (the closing and awarding ceremony is expected to be held in November 2022) and was highly appreciated by the jury for the possibility of reality. Even though fig tea has been processed, the price is lower than other types of tea, hence, this will be a useful product for those who need to use natural herbs for health care.