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SMPB Kerala to attract more plant cultivators to reduce dependency on other states for raw drugs
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
June 23 , 2021
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The state medicinal plant board in Kerala (SMPB Kerala) is chalking out a new strategy to attract more farmers of herbal and aromatic plants into the cultivation of these crops to benefit the Ayurveda industry and to increase the returns to the farmers.
As per the new strategy, cultivation in high altitude areas in Idukki, Wynadu and Pathanamthitta districts will be encouraged and a strong marketing chain will be established by linking transport companies for delivery of the raw materials.
Along with, the board is also pondering over implementing a mega plan to make Kerala as a resourceful hub of medicinal plants for the total crops requirement of the industry in the state. In this regard, SMPB Kerala will soon submit a project report to the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) through the state ayush secretary, it is learnt.
According to the chief executive officer (CEO) of the SMPB, if the strategy is to be worked out properly, the Ayurveda industry in the state can reduce the dependency on other states for raw drugs in another five years. If everything is working well, Kerala will be in a position to export raw drugs to other countries in next ten years.
Dr TK Hridik, the CEO, while speaking to Pharmabiz, said the board is envisioning five collection centres (warehouses) for raw drugs, wherein the farmers of all the districts can supply their produces. Currently, the major hurdle for the farmers to sell their produce is lack of buyers. A high level coordination of the consortiums of farmers and manufacturing industry is envisaged for the purpose of setting up collection points. Mainly five centres are in the project and they will be set up in Wynadu, Palakkadu, Thrissur, Kozhikodu and Kannur. If the stock facility of the Care Keralam Ayush cluster in Koratty is found suitable, SMPB will discuss with the administration of the cluster to support their project.
The CEO said, as far as Kerala is concerned the cultivation of herbal and aromatic plants depends on temperature, climatic conditions, rain falls and soil nutrients which are all irregular in the state, so that regular harvest is not possible. Besides, medicinal plant cultivation is scattered in different areas. In the case of the manufacturers, they want raw drugs regularly.
He said the medicinal farmers have some limitations, especially the small scale farmers who are facing difficulties most often in selling their limited quantity of produce. Recently, SMPB Kerala got some complaints from herbal cultivators in Kannur district saying that they were unable to sell the leaves and barks of the Asoka tree (Saraca asoca) which the manufacturing companies wanted only regular supply. According to Dr. Hridik, the harvest of medicinal cultivation in Kerala is not regular as it depends on various factors. However, SMPB plans to give subsidies to the farmers’ consortiums and individual farmers for growing medicinal plants which are essentially required for the state.
To a query, he said financial aid is given to farmers for cultivating 20 kinds of herbs and plants. A buy-back agreement will be made between the farmers’ society and manufacturing companies with the support of SMPB. For example, the government owned manufacturing company, Oushadhi, is getting raw drugs from Mattathur Labour Society in Thrissur. SMPB is also giving financial aids to forest research institutes, manufacturing companies and farmers’ societies for cultivating quality seedlings of medicinal plants and herbs. It has given Rs 25 lakhs to Oushadhi for the cultivation of herbs, said Dr, Hridik.
Meanwhile, Dr. S Sanalkumar, a member of the SMPB Kerala, said adulteration and substitution in raw drugs has become a burning problem faced by the manufacturers of ayush medicines in Kerala.
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