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A King Country land incorporation says the success it has had growing ginseng can be replicated by other Maori forest owners.
Maraeroa C has just launched its Pure-Ora Mountain Ginseng after eight years of research and experimentation in its forests at the base of Pureora mountain.
The ancient food and medicinal plant is highly sought after in China but over-harvesting means traditional supplies of wild ginseng are becoming scarce.
Chief executive Glen Katu says it's a great companion crop for pine with a potential return of more than $300,000 a hectare.
He says New Zealand has a longer growing season than China and Korea where the bulk of the world's ginseng is grown.
"This gives us the ability to have product available a lot quicker and we've found the quality is as good if not better than what is grown in the northern hemisphere and also the way we grow it with no chemicals used
Mr Katu says conditions on Maraeroa C are similar to the forests held by other central North island iwi, and the market can take as much as New Zealand can produce.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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