| Of the Rs 25-crore worth minor forest produce (MFP) being procured by the GCC every year from the tribals across the state, the medicinal herbal produce account for close to Rs 1 crore. The corporation is planning to increase this to around Rs 5 crore from the next fiscal. |
| "There are around 250 herbal plants of medicinal value growing in the forests. We have identified around 25 medicinal herbal species. Since these medicinal herbal plants have huge market potential, both in the country as well as abroad, we have decided to collect and market these medicinal herbs from the tribals," A Vidya Sagar, vice-chairman and managing director of GCC, told Business Standard. |
| At present, GCC is procuring mainly three medicinal herbs "� Rauwolfia Serpentina roots, Myrabalans and Nuxvomica, which are used in the manufacture of herbal and ayurvedic medicines. |
| "Though there are several other medicinal herbal plants available in the forests, the forest department claims that these are endangered species. Despite the objections raised by the forest department, the tribals have been collecting these herbs in an unscientific way and are unofficially selling them to private traders at cheaper rates. Keeping this in mind, we requested the government to recognise GCC as a single channelising agency for collecting the medicinal herbs along with the minor forest produce," Vidya Sagar said. |
| If the government permits GCC to collect the medicinal herbs, the corporation would take up the regeneration of these species in a large way apart from initiating training programmes for the tribals to inculcate the techniques of collecting the herbal seeds, leaves, stems etc without disturbing the plants, he added. |
| "The government's nod is expected in a couple of months. After that, we will start procuring the herbal produce from the tribals," he said. |
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