Good question DS.
The market overall is moving toward quality over quantity. There certainly is a demand for the average run of the mill commercial quality root. However, the higher money everyone is looking to get comes from the higher market (which doesn't get ground up). Therefore, keeping the entire root intact when digging and throughout its handling is very important. Handling is a big issue. Don't rush or skimp on this as it can make beautiful root poor in quality.
With that in mind, the question to take your root to someone who is more in tune to the modern ginseng market is very appropriate especially in a year as rough as this one is shaping up to be.
The best advice I can give you is to do some homework. My phone has been burning up the past few weeks and I'm sure other dealers' have also. So call them. Ask what they are looking for and make an educated -and realistic- estimation about how close you come to their ideal. Sometimes you might not come out far enough to justify the drive or the time. Sometimes you will do much better selling high quality root to a more sophisticated buyer. The reverse is also true. If you bring low quality or mishandled root to a sophisticated buyer, you are likely to get less.
Good luck!
