FOR many years, mugwort was nothing but wild grass to locals in central China’s Henan Province. People rarely thought of it except at the Dragon Boat Festival, when they hang bundles of it on the front door as a tradition.

Today, with a complete industrial chain covering growing, processing and sales, mugwort has become a cash cow that has lifted villagers out of poverty and is leading them to prosperity.

Formerly impoverished villager Cui Tinggui in the rural area of Nanyang cannot work in big cities as he has his ailing mother to take care of at home. By growing mugwort, he can earn 2,000 yuan (US$311) per mu (about 0.07 hectares) of the plant every year.

“I never expected that growing grass would become a way of making a living,” said Cui, 43, adding his family shook off poverty thanks to mugwort.

Mugwort, a kind of herb mainly used in moxibustion as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy, has apparent effects. They include fumigating, eliminating dampness and killing insects and bacteria. Moxa soap, lotion, essential oil and pillow products are also popular with Chinese consumers as they are considered healthy.

“The treatment effect and health functions of the herb have generated vigorous market demand,” said Wei Yuezhi, head of Nanyang’s mugwort industry association.

Nanyang is China’s major mugwort planting and production base, with a growing area of 24,000 hectares, contributing to 70 percent of the country’s total amount of wild and artificially planted mugwort herbs.

In a mugwort processing cooperative in Nanyang, boxes of moxa products piled in the workshop, waiting to be delivered.

“Many online stores order products from us and then sell them across China,” said Hui Dawu, a manager of the cooperative.

Nanyang has more than 1,500 firms in mugwort plantation and processing. More than 100,000 residents are employed in the sector, reaping an annual industrial output of 10 billion yuan. (Xinhua)