Professional Documents
Culture Documents
about 42 spices are imported. Another survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests,
government of India, reveals that
there are over 8000 species of medicinal plants grown in the country.
Pyrethrum flower
Patchouli herb
Sandalwood chips
Galangal herb
Senna
Psyllium (Isabgol)
Belladonna
Ashwagandha
Market Survey
Table I
2003-04
2004-05
58.60
36.19
19.20
13.83
15.55
89.07
24.61
4.60
6.12
4.11
8.91
0.76
0.39
6.27
1.70
302.11
154.00
27.39
14.22
12.02
9.43
8.53
8.01
6.21
4.86
2.96
2.65
2.24
1.81
1.28
0.85
263.08
162.80
() 24.32
() 25.94
() 13.09
() 39.36
() 90.42
() 67.45
35.00
() 20.59
() 27.98
194.74
364.10
() 79.59
() 50.00
() 12.92
Source: Compiled from the data of DGCI&S, Monthly Statistics of Indias Foreign Trade: Exports & Re-Exports, March 2004 and 2005 issues, Kolkata
Institutional support
The government of India has set
up a national-level body, namely,
National Medicinal Plants Board
(NMPB), under the aegis of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, government of India, with a view to
ensuring availability of medicinal
plants and coordinating all matters
relating to their development and
sustainable use. The NMPB has estimated Indias exports of herbal
material and medicinal plants at
Rs 446 crore, which is projected
to reach further to Rs 3000 crore
by 2006-07. China and India, according to the NMPB, are the major
world producers of medicinal
plants.
Besides, Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council, popularly known as
CHEMEXCIL under the Ministry of
Recent developments
Study on medicinal plants.
The NMPB under the aegis of Department of Ayurveda, Yoga &
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha &
Homoeopathy (AYUSH) will conduct
a study to assess the demand and
supply of medicinal plants for the
Indian and international markets.
The step has been taken at the
instance of Health Ministrys initiative to give a thrust to the
Indian medicine system on a global
scale.
The study will examine the domestic demand, supply, exports and
imports of medicinal plants, their use
in different sections like medicine,
food supplements, cosmetics, etc. It
will also study the price trends and
make future demand and supply projections to enable the NMPB to pre-
Market Survey
collection societies in selling nonnationalised and non-timber products by offering fixed purchasing
rates for a small selection of plants
with market potential, such as mahul
patta, mahua seeds and achar.
The Federation is financing the
development of specific areas for nontimber production in ten districts,
facilitating commercial financing for
farmers to cultivate non-timber products, establishing local market outlets and branding, promoting local
value addition and disseminating
market-related information to farmers.
Similarly, Assam had success
with patchouli, a perennial herbaceous plant of Laiaceae family. The
North Eastern Development Finance
Corporation (NEDFI) is financing
start-up capital for small farmers to
cultivate patchouli and help growers
market their produce.
EXIM Bank study. Exim Banks
latest study titled Export Potential
of Indian Medicinal Plants and Products estimates that the global imports of medicinal plants in the year
2001 were of the order of $1 billion.
According to the report, the major
importers of medicinal plants are the
European Union, Russia and USA.
The major exporters, on the other
hand, comprise China, India, Japan
and Russia.
India is the largest exporter, next
only to China, accounting for about
13 per cent of the global exports.
USA is the principal market for Indian medicinal plants, accounting for
50 per cent of exports.
Table II
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
USA
Japan
Germany
France
UK
China
Hong Kong
Pakistan
UAE
Taiwan
Total (all India)
135.63
30.06
13.37
6.76
17.00
6.73
8.24
6.44
9.88
8.46
334.17
111.92
18.57
13.26
8.13
11.45
7.04
10.51
7.29
5.72
8.43
302.11
98.51
11.86
11.55
6.76
11.12
8.66
7.01
9.20
10.47
5.77
263.08
() 11.98
() 36.13
() 12.90
() 16.85
() 2.88
23.01
() 33.30
26.20
83.04
() 31.55
() 12.92
Source: Compiled from the data of DGCI&S, Monthly Statistics of Indias Foreign Trade: Exports & Re-Exports,
March 2003 and 2004 issues, Kolkata
Market Survey
Table III
Item-wise Indias Exports of Medicinal Plants to Major Markets During 2003-04 and 2004-05
(Rs crore)
Item/country
2003-04
2004-05
88.07
9.08
7.37
4.35
4.25
4.09
3.94
3.78
3.28
3.25
3.14
2.21
1.99
1.61
1.50
1.17
154.00
221.07
46.93
116.76
394.32
254.17
3.81
4,825.00
66.52
23.31
164.23
432.20
281.03
362.79
222.00
29.31
74.63
162.80
6.05
3.80
2.66
2.29
1.38
1.24
27.39
33.85
() 20.34
() 26.72
20.76
() 2.13
() 27.91
() 24.32
5.44
2.48
2.35
2.03
1.89
14.22
150.69
() 51.18
20.51
95.19
() 58.28
() 25.94
Item/country
2003-04
2004-05
Source: Compiled from the data of DGCI&S, Monthly Statistics of Indias Foreign Trade: Exports & Re-Exports, March 2004 and 2005 issues, Kolkata
medicinal plants. It is also examining the possibility of promoting agriexport zones specialising in cultivation of aromatic and medicinal
plants.
Poppy plant gets US Patent.
The Central Institute of Medicinal
and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP),
Lucknow, has recently got a US
patent for developing a disease-resistant and high-straw and seed-
Indias exports
Itemwise. As may be seen from
Table I, Indias exports of medicinal
plants in 2004-05 declined by 12.92
per cent over the previous year when
Market Survey
Table IV
Country-wise Indias Exports of Major Medicinal Plants During 2003-04 and 2004-05
Country/item
USA
Psyllium husk (Isobgul husk)
Psyllium seed (Isobgul)
Senna leaves and pods
Other parts of plants used in perfumery, pharmaceutical etc fresh/dried
Other leaves, powder, flours and fresh/dried/cut crushed/powered
Other bark, husk and rind fresh/dried/cut, crushed/powered
Garcenia
Total (incl. others)
Japan
Psyllium husk (Isobgul husk)
Senna leaves and pods
Sandalwood chips and dust
Other leaves, powder, flours and fresh/dried/cut crushed/powered
Other seeds, fresh/dried cut, crushed, powdered used in perfumery, pharmacy, etc
Other parts of plants used in perfumery, pharmaceutical etc fresh/dried
Total (incl. others)
Germany
Senna leaves and pods
Psyllium husk (Isobgul husk)
Basil, hyasop, rosemary sage, svory
Other leaves, powder, flours and fresh/dried/cut crushed/powered
Psyllium seed (Isobgul)
Other parts of plants used in perfumery, pharmaceutical etc, fresh/dried
Total (incl. others)
UK
Psyllium husk (Isobgul husk)
Other leaves, powder, flours and fresh/dried/cut crushed/powered
Psyllium seed (Isobgul)
Jajoba seed
Cascara,sagrada bark
Other seeds, fresh/dried cut, crushed, powdered used in perfumery, pharmacy, etc
Total (incl. others)
UAE
Sandalwood chips and dust
Galangal rhizomes and roots
Other parts of plants used in perfumery, pharmaceutical, etc, fresh/dried
Other leaves, powder, flours and fresh/dried/cut crushed/powered
Psyllium husk (Isobgul husk)
Other seeds, fresh/dried cut, crushed, powdered used in perfumery, pharmacy, etc
Total (incl. others)
Total (all India)
2003-04
2004-05
(Rs crore)
Per cent growth
27.43
11.46
2.89
3.25
4.14
0.13
5.25
111.92
88.07
2.81
2.29
1.55
1.16
0.56
0.47
98.51
221.07
() 75.48
() 20.76
() 52.31
() 71.98
330.77
() 91.05
() 11.98
2.27
3.63
1.95
0.90
0.15
1.02
18.57
3.78
2.66
2.35
0.69
0.43
0.35
11.86
66.52
() 26.72
20.52
() 23.33
186.67
() 65.69
() 36.13
4.77
2.66
0.05
0.38
1.50
0.07
13.26
3.80
3.28
1.95
0.75
0.73
0.35
11.55
() 20.34
23.31
3,800.00
97.37
() 51.33
400.00
() 12.90
3.41
0.89
0.85
2.50
0.22
11.45
7.37
0.92
0.87
0.54
0.39
0.30
11.12
116.13
3.37
2.35
() 78.40
36.36
() 2.88
2.17
0.27
0.63
0.84
0.41
0.31
5.72
5.44
1.53
0.75
0.54
0.50
0.44
10.47
150.69
466.67
19.05
() 35.71
21.95
41.94
83.04
302.11
263.08
() 12.92
Source: Compiled from the data of DGCI&S, Monthly Statistics of Indias Foreign Trade: Exports & Re-Exports, March 2004 and 2005 issues, Kolkata
steep decline during the period comprised garcenia (79.59 per cent), psyllium seed (67.45 per cent), gymnema
powder (50 per cent), other fresh/
dried cut, crushed and powdered
Market Survey
powered bark, husk & rind (20.59
per cent).
On the other hand, the plants
registering a phenomenal growth
comprised galangal rhizomes and
roots (364.10 per cent) and basil,
hyasop, rosemary sage, svory (194.74
per cent).
Countrywise. As may be seen
from Table II, Indias exports have
continuously been showing a declining trendfrom Rs 334.17 crore in
2002-03 to Rs 302.11 crore in 200304 and Rs 263.08 crore in 2004-05.
USA continues to be the largest market for Indian medicinal plants. However, exports to this market have
shown the same trenddeclining to
Rs 98.51 crore in 2004-05 as against
Rs 111.92 crore in 2003-04 and Rs
135.63 crore in 2002-03. The other
markets showing a declining trend
in 2004-05 over the previous year
included Japan (36.13 per cent),
Export prospects
According to various studies
brought out both by the central and
the state governments, medicinal
plants offer tremendous export potential. For tapping the full potential, there is the need to chalk out a
pragmatic export strategy. Some of
the points that merit attention of