STATE MEDICINAL PLANT BOARD, KERALASTATE MEDICINAL PLANT BOARD, KERALADEAPRTMENT OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFAREDEAPRTMENT OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

GOVT. OF KERALAGOVT. OF KERALA

ABOUT KERALA

Geographical area 38,836.00sq.km

Recorded forest area 1.12 million Hectares

(28.87% of land area)

Density of population 819 person/Sq. km

No. of registered Ayurvedaunit

750 Licensed1000 unregistered

Recorded flora 4527 sp.

Flora for Medicinal use 550 sp. approximate

ABOUT RAW MATERIALSNo. of Medicinal plants used in Ayurveda industry in Kerala

450 Sps.

No. of Medicinal plants used largely in Medicinal manufacturing units ( approximate)

140 sps

Annual consumption of raw drugs ( approximate) 25,000 tones

Details of Raw materials collection

Forest area 44.94%

Non Forest area 14.31%

Both Forest & Non Forest area 19.78%

Cultivation 13.58%

Imported ( out side of Kerala) 7.39%

ABOUT RAW MATERIALCOLLECTION

• Only 7% of items is obtained from cultivated sources .

• Main collection is from the wild.• Uncontrolled collection• Unscientific and at times destructive

harvesting• Resource is depleting.• Demand is increasing

ABOUT CULTIVATION

• Use of Herbs , Shrubs , Climbers, Trees by industry

• Large scale commercial cultivation yet to catch up • Private cultivation mainly of annuals • Standard techniques of cultivation of many species

not developed• Availability of quality planting material is a

limitation .• Economics of planting of many species not

available

AVAILABILITY. Industry in need of large quantity of Raw

Materials

• Roots , bark, stem, leaves , flowers and fruits are used

• Demand is increasing.

• Resource base can not cater to the demand unless alternate sources found out .

• Annuals by and large made available from different sources

AVAILABILITY• Raw drugs from trees very scarce • Many trees are in the Red Listed Category like.

Saraca asoca, Aegle marmelose, Pterocarpus santalinus , Oroxylum indicum, Salacia oblonga, Garcinia gummi-gutta,Terminalia arjuna, Santalum album, Symplococos racemosa etc.

• All these are widely used for medicine preparation .

PROBLEMS • Annuals and perennials equally important .

• While Cultivation of annuals is preferred

by individuals very few cultivates trees.

Large scale tree cultivation must for survival of Ayurveda industry in its present form .

• Long gestation of tree crops unattractive to individuals .

• Only Govt. Dept. may alone support tree crops cultivation .

SOME SOLUTIONS • Present cultivation Technique of trees needs

review.

• Closer espacement planting to be tried .

• Harvesting of roots by rotation through trench

methods.

• Introduction of techniques to encourage growth of roots , thick foliage etc to be tried through appropriate soil conditioning.

• High yielding fast growing species to be identified through Research .

MARKETINGMARKETING

• Lack of clear economics on Medicinal plant cultivation.

• Unreliable market.

• Unorganised market.

• Exploitation by middle man.

STORAGE & HARVESTING STORAGE & HARVESTING

• Some guideline by Dabur / WWF Trafic India for storage .

Acceptability• Traditional harvest / materials preferred by

industry.• Acceptability of parts from short rotation crops

not sure .• Adequate Research not available • Research on large no of species simultaneously

not feasible at the moment. • Quality parameters quite vague .• Available methods to increasing productivity

using Hormones may have side effect.