J&K begins cultivation of medicinal, aromatic plants in nurseries

Jammu, April 12 (PTI) The cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs used in the treatment and management of several diseases, including diabetes mellitus, and heart and neurological disorders, has begun in Jammu and Kashmir.

This is being done as a part of a pioneering Rs 750 crore project envisaging total transformation in the 625 hectares of the landscape of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) cultivation in the Union Territory.

The Department of Agriculture (DoA) has recently set up a medicinal and aromatic plant nursery in the Talab Tillo area of Jammu, where over 40 types of medicinal and aromatic plants are being grown for distribution among the urban population and farmers for commercial farming.

“We have begun farming medicinal plants here. We have grown 40 medicinal and aromatic plants in the Nursery. It is mother stock. These are being grown by farmers. Sets of ten to twenty plants are being given to urban farmers. They are growing them in their homes. These are used daily. We want everyone to grow it in their homes,” Head of the Nursery, Ambica told PTI.

The nursery is bustling with medicinal plants and herbs of Sweet leaf, Clove basil, Anantnag carvomint, Orange mint, Spearmint, Corn mint, Lemon grass, Brahmi, Kapoor Tulsi and other aromatic plants used in various treatment of diseases as per Ayurveda.

“After the Corona period, people have understood that they have come back to Ayurveda from allopathic systems of medicines. The Department of Agriculture is now focusing on farming medicines and aromatics. We used to get medicinal plants from IIIM and the university. We want farmers to grow medicinal plants and double their income,” he added.

The government believes that the farmers of the state should cultivate other things besides traditional crops so that their income can increase.

Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department (DAP), Atal Dulloo told PTI, “We are starting farming of aromatic and medicinal plants for the first time (in Jammu and Kashmir). We have identified 9 medicinal plants and are setting up 28 clusters”.

He further said that the government has started the farming of medicinal and aromatic plants on an area of 5,000 kanals. “The project cost will be Rs 62 crore. We will set up a centre of excellence for it. This sector has great growth”, he added.

He also said that the present global herbal trade is about USD 120 billion and it is expected to reach USD 7,000 billion by 2050. The current MAP production from Jammu and Kashmir is only worth Rs 2 lakh, as very little cultivation is being done in the region.

This is one of the 29 projects costing Rs 5,013 crore based on the principles of economy, equity and ecology, which have the potential to herald a new phase of farmer prosperity and livelihood security in J&K, he noted.

There is a huge chunk of cultivable wasteland in J&K, which has the potential to be brought under MAP cultivation.

Dulloo said the MAP is unique to our agro-climate that offers great potential for employment and export.

“As many as six MAP germplasm banks and 2 field centres will be established under the project,” he added.

He said that harvesting and post-harvest management will also involve aggregation of produce from cluster groups of farmers, its primary processing and value addition.

Branding and marketing with product diversification, certification and establishing market linkages and digital marketing will be part of it.

He also said that the department will also have R&D through the establishment of the “centre of excellence on herbal technology”.

There will be an estimated 3,000 trained manpower and skilled youth in the sector and have quality products, patents and designs, Dulloo added.