THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran said here on Tuesday that though there was huge demand for medicinal plants, its production was not getting enough boost. There is a need to go back to the old age where everybody has a basic knowledge of medicinal plants, he said.
"Medicinal plant farms will be introduced in every school by next year. There will be another scheme in 100 selected panchayats to have at least one medicinal plant in every house," he said while inaugurating a workshop on medicinal plant cultivation.
The Minister announced two schemes for the promotion of medicinal plant farming and said that the environment in the State was suitable for the growth of medicinal plants. Mullakkara said that he would initiate the projects in schools as creating basic knowledge among children was essential. "Since ayurveda is gaining acceptance at the global level, the demand for medicinal plants is on a rise," he said.
The workshop, jointly organised by the National Medicinal Plants Board, Kerala Agriculture University and State Horticulture Mission, was meant to create awareness among farmers and industrialists on the prospects of medicinal plant farming. The State Horticulture Mission had introduced a project - National Mission on Medicinal Plants - to train farmers on medicinal plant farming methods in April, 2008, funded by the National Medicinal Plants Board.
The three-year project had covered 10 districts and almost 300 farmers had participated in the workshops. The farmers were given information on subsidies, availability of seeds, small-scale industries etc. The project also aims at market promotion by facilitating interaction of farmers with industrialists. Around 300 farmers and 25 industrialists participated in the one-day workshop at the Kanakakunnu Palace. V.Sivankutty MLA, presided over the function. Kerala Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor K.R.Viswambharan, Spices Board director J.Thomas and Dean of College of Agriculture, Vellayni, K.Harikrishnan Nair were among those spoke at the function.
Express News Service
First Published : 24 Feb 2010 02:14:00 AM IST
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