Do you know of a buyer for woods ginseng in the state of Tennesee? This information is for a family member who deals in wild ginseng.
Tennessee is a good state to find woods grown Ginseng, and some of the growers are also occasional buyers. The markets right now are flush, so the chances of a sale are ranging from none to nil (for the moment). I would be VERY interested in representing your friend's wildcrafted Ginseng, as there are shortages of this form and I know buyers in North Carolina right now.
Current prices (Dec. 2000) for a woods grown Ginseng begin at $80/lb. for a 4-year old root. Some that are over 7 years old can go for up to $180/lb., but this was last Summer. Wild Ginseng is another matter, with prices up to $300/lb. You have to realize that there are more than 12 different points on determining the price for this product. It's complicated.
If you would like some representation, you need to contact me directly (as a broker). There is a surplus of woods grown Ginseng right now, and a shortage of wildcrafted products. My buyer for the wildcrafted has been marketing them since 1968. Woods grown is a recent addition, although the markets are growing over cultivated varieties. Some restrictions apply for chemicals on normal cultivation (like Quintazine), especially imports from Canada.