Cultivation of medicinal plants profitable: Experts

KANPUR: A training programme on medicinal and aromatic plants was organised at Chandra Shekher Azad Agriculture University. It was pointed out during the same on Thursday that medicinal plants could ensure better health of peasants.
The workshop is being organised to encourage the farming of medicinal and aromatic plants. Scientists apprised the farmers present at the training programme that demand of medicinal plants was increasing every year but production was not according to demand.There was a big gap in production and demand.
Dr Kaushal Kumar apprised to the farmers that waste land, water filled places and shaded places could be used for growing medicinal crops. Dr Munish kumar discussed various properties of Aloe Vera and its marketing. Dr Kumar informed students about the medicinal importance of Aloe Vera, Amla etc. He also spoke about the way the farmers could earn money by cultivating those medicinal and aromatic plants.
Dr R P Singh gave interesting information about Gooseberry. He also discussed that the farmers could get good yield of medicinal plants from less irrigated fields. Farmers could be financial sound by growing various medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha, Sarpgandha, Kalmegh, Damask Rose, Mentha, Palmrose and Coleus.
Dr. Naushad Khan, media-incharge said there was great demand for medicinal and aromatic plants but production was not according to the demand. There were various reasons for low production. There was a need to train the farmers and apprise them about the farming of medicinal plants. So that they could grow medicinal plants and get proper value of their product.
Naushad Khan also informed that over 50 participants including students, CSA staff and faculty members took part in the training programme.