National Medicinal Board regional centre at Kerala Forest Research Institute

KOCHI: The National Medicinal Board has set up a regional centre at Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi, Thrissur. The regional centre will coordinate the execution of projects and conduct various activities proposed in the research of medicinal plants for the five South Indian states and the two Union Territories. The Board will provide Rs 1.5 crore every year to the regional centre to conduct various projects in the farming, training, research and conservation of medicinal herbs.

The regional-cum- facilitation centre for sustainable development of medicinal plants was inaugurated on Thursday. While addressing the inaugural session of the regional Centre, National Medicinal Board chief executive officer Shomiha Biswas said Kerala, the home of Ayurveda, will be given top priority by the Board. Promoting farmers of medicinal plants, herbs and the allied industries will help bring Ayurveda and other traditional treatment practices into global attention, she remarked.

Dr S. Pradeep Kuamr, director of KFRI, observed that the Centre can play a proactive role in promoting farming and conservation of medicinal plants which will help to enhance the quality and availability of such herbs. A team led by Dr. U.M Chandrasekhara, Dr. P. Sujanapal, Dr. K.C Chacko and Dr. N Sasiharan will be responsible for the functioning of the Centre. KFRI registrar Dr. T. K Damodaran and Dr. N Padmakumar, advisor of National Medicinal Board also spoke on the occasion.