India is a distant second to China in the list of global exporters of many medicinal plants
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Hyderabad: Telangana state Andhra Pradesh stand first in cultivation of medicinal plants in South India in over 35,000 acres. The medicinal plant boards of both the states are vigorously pursuing spread of cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, as they yield much more revenue than many commercial and traditional crops. The global trade of aromatic plants across the world stands at $4 billion to $5billion.
Dr K.P. Sastry, scientist incharge of Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Hyderabad, says, “CIMAP has developed varieties of Ashwagandha which are being successfully grown in semi arid areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Other medicinal plants like Andrographis Paniculata (Kalmegh) and Mucuna Pruriens are also being grown in these two states by cultivators.
These plants earn revenue of up to Rs 30,000 per acre. Cultivators of Ocimum Tenuiflorum, popularly known as Tulasi, in some cases are earning revenue in upwards of Rs 80,000 per acre. Another medicinal plant, Abelmoschus Moschatus, earns Rs 500 per kg which is much higher than most of the conventional crops.
Aromatic plants being successfully grown include rosemary, jasmine, palmarosa and eucalyptus.”Andhra Pradesh and Telangana can play important roles as they are home to Eastern Ghats which have the required climatic and soil conditions for growing many medicinal plants like Tinospora Cordifolia (Tippa Theega), Gymnema Sylvestre (Podapatri), Aegle Marmelos (Maredu) and Celastrus Paniculatus (Malaria Theega).
( Source : dc )
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