As per the study entitled ‘Medicinal Plants in India: An Assessment of their Demand and Supply, Ved and Goraya (2017)’ conducted by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) supported by National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), the annual demand of herbs / medicinal plants in the country was estimated about 5,12,000 Metric Tonnes in 2014-15. As per the study, about 1178 medicinal plants species are recorded in practices of trade, out of which 242 species are traded in high volume of more than 100 MT per annum. Further analysis of these 242 species revealed that 173species (72%) are collected from wild sources.

Ministry of Ayush, Government of India had implemented the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) from the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21 to promote the cultivation of Medicinal Plants throughout the country. Under the Medicinal Plants component of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) scheme, the support was provided for:

1. Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land.
2. Establishment of nurseries with backward linkages for raising and supply of quality planting material.
3. Post-harvest management with forward linkages.
4. Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.           

Till date, Ministry of Ayush has supported cultivation of medicinal plants to cover an area of 56,305 hectare throughout the country from the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21.

Presently, National Medicinal plants Board, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India is implementing Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” wherein following activities are supported:

1. In-situ conservation / Ex-situ conservation
2. Linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) / Self Help Groups (SHGs).
3. IEC activities like Training / Workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc.
4. Research & Development.
5. Promotion, marketing and trade of medicinal plants produce.

This information was given by Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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SK