Ministry embarks on project to cultivate marketable herbs

RAMANI Kangaraarachchi

THE Ministry of Indigenous Medicine will commence a programme to cultivate medicinal herbs under the osu Gammana (herbal villages) programme to produce sufficient raw material for the herbal industry.

Minister of Indigenous Medicine Tissa Karaliyadda told a seminar on "capacity building of herbal product manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka, organised by the JETRO that due to vigorous advertising campaigns carried out by private sector organisations and multi-national companies, the demand for Ayurveda and allied products have increased considerably but there is no organised effort so far by the users to grow the necessary herbs.

As a result existing herbs are ripped off from forests and forest reserves by natives and sold to the companies engaged in the production.

He stated that land, material and manpower is required to implement the Osu Gammana programme and invited the private sector to step in either by themselves or in collaboration with the Ministry to accomplish this task.

The state sector could set pilot projects to impart know-how and supply planting material to a certain extent.

He pointed out that it is after laying a firm foundation for supply of raw material that we can talk of increasing productivity and capacity for exports in the sector.

The Minister also insisted on quality and said that one has to compromise between quality and quantity if production is to be rushed through mechanisation.

Finally he requested the producers to play a more active role by developing research into marketable products so that the market will have access to the results of the research.

Chairman Export Development board Brian Angunawela said the herbal and ayurvedic sector has been identified by the EDB as a key area for promotion of exports from Sri Lanka . Total export turnover from this sector is estimated at Rs. 250 million per annum according to him.

The EDB has organised several key trade promotion activities such as participation at trade fairs and providing advisory services and implementing a programme to upgrade the standards.

Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda said that there is a great chance for Lanka to activate exports of herbal products and to create employment opportunities contributing to livelihood of local communities.

Presentations were made on various aspects by Assistant Director Ministry of Agriculture of Japan Michiyo Tanaka, Pharmacist Morishita Jinton Co, Yuzo Kawahara and volunteer Kaya Tanaka.