16 State farmers to popularise adv. herbal farming

Sixteen Chhattisgarh farmers who recently returned from a study tour of Gujarat while visiting Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Directorate at Anand have decided to spread the knowledge acquired from their trip to other farmers in the State.

The delegation also comprised two students of Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, Raipur.

They informed that farmers from eight other States also visited the institute in Gujarat.

Notably,  Chhattisgarh Government will carry out ‘Geographic Data Mapping’ of  distribution of Medicinal plant species across the State, officials had informed last year.

The State Forest Department in 2016-17 had also ordered to get an appraisal report on required interventions by various private agencies to enhance the marketability of medicinal plants and products, officials informed.

Notably, a 'Herbal Garden' will be developed in Naya Raipur in order to create awareness regarding ancient herbal medicines among the masses.

A host of Ayurvedic herbal medicines are now being processed and produced in forest areas of the State, officials stated.

Processing and production of such medicines is underway in five processing centres, functioning as cottage industry in the State.

The herbal medicines such as triphla churn, chyavanprash, bhringraj oil, aloe vera and many other ayurvedic herbal medicines are being manufactured and processed in the forest areas.

In the same sequence, village forest committees, small forest produce committees, and self-help groups have been entrusted with the responsibility to collect and supply small forest produce, as raw material for herbal medicines.

These are namely Gram Van Samiti Donganala (Forest Division Katghora, Korba district, Danteshwari Jyoti Mahila Self-Help Group village Kurandi (Forest Division Bastar, District Bastar), Bhuteshwarnath Vanoshadhi Prasanskaran Kendra village Keshodar (Gariaband district), Ma Narmada Self-Help Group village Kevanchi (Bilaspur district) and Danteshwari Self-Help Group village Panchakki (Jashpur district).

Forest Department’s efforts and initiatives to provide employment and additional income to dwellers of forest areas in Chhattisgarh through herbal industry are consistently yielding positive results.

Followed by the survey of small forest produce, a record of 3,399 traditional herbal medicines have been prepared, after consultation with 418 traditional 'vaids' in 21 places, so as to promote herbal health care.

Cooperatives based undertaking of State government- Chhattisgarh State Small Forest Produce (Marketing and Development) Cooperatives Society is looking after the marketing of herbal medicines produced by these processing centres.

The Department is selling these products under the brand name of ‘Chhattisgarh Herbal’. State Government’s Ayush Department has given medicine license to these products. Demand for these products is increasing significantly.

For marketing of these products, total six Sanjeevani Centres have been established in capital city Raipur, District Headquarters Durg, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Kanker and Jagdalpur. These centres were established in the year 2007.

A ‘Home Herbal Garden Scheme’ has been launched to create awareness among masses regarding these medicinal plants, which have significance as home remedies for cough-cold, burn injury, wounds, stomach pain, headache and skin-related diseases. These herbal medicines have no side effects on human body.

These saplings can be easily planted in any open space.  The Chhattisgarh State Medicinal Plant Board had also conducted special drive for distribution of medicinal plants, which had turned out to be quite successful.

Chhattisgarh with its massive forest resource has huge potential for supply of medicinal plants to the general public for their kitchen gardens with the prime objective of promoting their health and well being.

Under  the ‘Home Herbal Garden Scheme,’ medicinal value saplings were distributed to people which they can easily plant in pots or nurseries.

The Chhattisgarh government has developed an elaborate retail network for medicines made out of forest produce.

The Government’s retail network for marketing of these products comprise ‘Non-wood Forest Produce Marts’ which have been opened at six locations in the State besides ‘Sanjeevani Centres’ established in 32 different locations, officials informed.

Other than Raipur, the Sanjeevani Centre retail outlets are being operated at district headquarters of Durg, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Kanker and Jagdalpur also, they informed.

Forest medicines worth Rs2.17 crore have been sold in 2013-14, the quantity of products sold increased by three times.

The Government’s Ayush Department have given license to 102 forest medicines produced by Forest Medicine Processing Centres of state, under Cosmetic and Drug Act, officials stated.

Rich forest resources of Chhattisgarh are now being utilized for commercial manufacturing of valuable Ayurvedic herbal medicines.

These forest produce medicines are proving immensely beneficial for cure of various diseases. Moreover, commercial scale manufacturing of forest medicines has also become a source of employment for large number forest dweller families.

For this, ‘forest medicine processing units’ are being operated at 5 out of 27 districts of the State. The processed forest medicines have been introduced in the market with attractive packaging and brand name ‘Chhattisgarh Herbals’. Products with this brand name are receiving good response from Ayurvedic doctors, patients and customers, officials stated.