Herbal Exports Potential
By  AA News Desk

Those of us who may be willing to foray into herbal exports market; here is a piece of some interesting news. The potential for export of herbal medicines can be judged from their existing demand that stands at an astounding 51,000 crore rupees. One hundred crore means 10 million rupees. Multiply that!

In China, more than 90 per cent of rural people depend on herbal medicine and the country was exporting medicines worth Rs 25,000 crore annually.

Even a small country such as Cambodia was exporting herbal medicines worth Rs 10,000 crore, while India's exports in this sector were limited to a mere Rs 400 crore. There is a general view that the Indian government is depriving this sector the required attention despite the country being the origin of Ayurveda. Ayurveda, among all other indigenous systems of health, produces the maximum number of formulations belonging to the herbal sector. Things have, however, begun to change now with new plans being mooted.

To promote the sector, says one opinion, wastelands should be used to raise medicinal plants and farmers educated and encouraged by the government to cultivate them, with backward and forward linkages established and financial support extended to farmers. To strengthen the processes, it has been suggested that distillation units should be set up near the farms. As tribals were mostly involved in the conservation of genetic resources for generations, they should be benefited statutorily in this exercise. .

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