NMPB seeks more funds from panel for medicinal plants
National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) has urged the Planning Commission to enhance allocation of funds during the 11th plan period in a bid to effectively tap the Rs 9,000 crore medicinal plant market in India.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB) has urged the Planning Commission to enhance allocation of funds during the 11th plan period in a bid to effectively tap the Rs 9,000 crore medicinal plant market in India.
The board, at a meeting organised by industry chamber PHDCCI, asked the plan panel to consider Tiwari Committee's recommendations on increasing allocation to promote medicinal plant cultivation, PHDCCI said in a release.
The funds would be helpful in creating conditions for enterprise development, transparency in trade and enhance income of medicinal plant growers, the release said.
According to NMPB, the domestic market for medicinal plants is estimated to be in a range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 crore. In addition, there is an expanding export market.
Planning Commission Member (Agriculture) V L Chopra stressed on the need for documentation of traditional methods used by certain communities in medicinal plant cultivation to protect patents and obtain Intellectual Property Rights.
Medicinal plant growers are primarily marginal farmers and it was the responsibility of the industry to ensure their produce was bought at competitive rates for sustained supply, he added.
PHDCCI President Sanjay Bhatia emphasised on the need for conserving and regulating cultivation, standardisation and validation of products as well as certification of traditional medicine practitioners to promote the system, the chamber release said.
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