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KPMA wants Kerala govt to frame suitable industrial policies for attracting more entrepreneurs to invest in pharma sector
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
September 16 , 2017
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In order to bring up a more dynamic manufacturing sector for
pharmaceutical products in the state, the Kerala Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers Association (KPMA) has urged the state government to frame
suitable industrial policies and provide maximum support to the pharma
sector so as to encourage more entrepreneurs to invest in the sector in
the state.
Although there are more than enough skilled
manpower, favourable environment for industrial growth and a vibrant
local market, lack of support from the government retards the growth of
pharma sector in Kerala. This forces the government to depend on other
states for all kinds of pharmaceutical products, consequently making the
state as a market for north Indian companies. According to industry
estimates, Kerala consumes almost 10% of the medicines sold in the
country despite being just 3% of national population.
The volume
of medicines that the pharmaceutical industry in Kerala manufactures is
less than 1% of the huge local consumption. The local pharma industrial
sector has shrunk in number of players from a high of almost 70 units in
1990s to only around 20 currently, and many of which are facing risk of
closure. The association wants the government to take urgent steps to
support the existing units and to attract more players into the field.
“Since
there is high rate of consumption of pharma products in Kerala and the
medicine business is a lucrative one here, all multinational companies
and the Indian giants are eying Kerala as a profitable market. Besides,
there are a lot of marketing companies which get their products
manufactured in tax-free states in north India and flood the market with
their attractively packed products, though the quality of which are
not being monitored properly. This trend is increasing and it becomes a
threat to the small scale units in Kerala,” said Purushothaman
Namboothiri, president of KPMA.
While speaking to Pharmabiz, he
said there are so many other issues in the industry. DPCO is becoming an
obstacle to the growth of SSI units as many commonly used products are
being brought under the price control. Secondly, the imposition of GMP
under revised Schedule M and GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) without
much financial support from the government has led to financial crisis
for small scale manufacturers. Again, the government is going ahead with
raising the bar again by making GMP norms mandatory as prescribed by
WHO. So, if the SSI units in the state to continue, government of Kerala
should find out some strategies for the survival of the industry here.
Unless
the industrial units are not provided resources for modernisation, the
pharma sector in Kerala cannot compete with those big companies from
other states, and ultimately they will fail to contribute for the
healthcare system due to sickness which will result in eventual closure.
If
sufficient financial support is given to the units for research &
development for innovation and for technology up-gradation &
automation, Kerala will become self-sufficient in pharmaceutical
consumption with their own formulations, claims KPMA. For this, the
government must have policies to make pharma sector as a thrust area.
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