Lok Sabha Question No. 5709 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in Western Ghats
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Shri Yaduveer Wadiyar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5709 ANSWERED ON 27/03/2026

## ' Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in Western Ghats '

## 5709. Shri Yaduveer Wadiyar:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a) the measures taken by the Government to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants in the Western Ghats region including support for nurseries, quality planting material and capacity building of farmers and traditional collectors;
- (b) whether  any  districts  in  Karnataka  including  Mysuru  and  Kodagu  have  been identified under the National AYUSH Mission for medicinal plant development and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  financial  assistance  and  incentives  provided  to  farmers  and  forest-fringe communities in the Western Ghats for cultivation and sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants during the last three years;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to provide assured market linkages, including buy-back arrangements, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) support, processing infrastructure and integration with AYUSH industry supply chains; and
- (e) the safeguards adopted to ensure that medicinal plant cultivation and collection in ecologically  sensitive  areas  are  undertaken  in  a  sustainable  and  biodiversityfriendly manner?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush is implementing 'Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management  of  Medicinal  Plants'  throughout  the  country including  Western  Ghats region.  Under the scheme, the project-based support is provided for following activities:

- i. In-situ conservation through development of Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs).
- ii. In-situ/Ex-situ resource augmentation.
- iii. Ex-situ conservation through establishment of herbal gardens.
- iv. Livelihood linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees / Self Help Groups.
- v. IEC activities like Training / workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc.

- vi. Research & Development.
- vii. Marketing.
- viii. Forward and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants wherein following activities are being supported:
- Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material to raise the planting material of medicinal plants for cultivation.
- Information  Education  Communication  (IEC)  activities  to  aware  the farmers.
- Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing to increase the marketability  of  the  medicinal  plants,  adding  value  to  the  produce, increasing profitability and reducing losses.
- Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.

Till  date,  NMPB  has  approved  total  15  projects  under  Forward  and  Backward Linkages in supply chain of Medicinal Plants (Integrated Component) of Central Sector Scheme from the Financial Year 2023 -24.  NMPB has supported 138 projects to organise the training program/seminars/workshops for promotion of medicinal plants throughout the country from the Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25. Besides this, NMPB, Ministry of Ayush, through its Regional cum Facilitation Centre (RCFC) has conducted awareness & training programs for the promotion and growth of medicinal plants in the country. The activities supported under the aforesaid scheme are not specific to any particular State or Region, rather based on the proposals received throughout the country.

(b) Ministry of Ayush, Government of India had implemented Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants since 2015-16 to 2020-21. Under 'Medicinal Plants' component of the National Ayush Mission  Scheme,  market  driven  cultivation  of  140  prioritized  medicinal  plants  in identified  clusters/zones  was  supported  and  implemented  in  a  mission  mode  through selected State Implementing agencies throughout the country including Karnataka. As per the scheme guidelines, the support was provided for:

- (i) Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer's land.
- (ii) Establishment of nurseries with backward linkages for raising and supply of quality planting material.
- (iii) Post-harvest management with forwarding linkages.
- (iv) Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.

Ministry of Ayush had supported 3926 hectare area for cultivation of 13 species such  as    Senna  ( Cassia  angustifolia ),  Amla  ( Emblica  officinalis ),  Madhukari  ( Stevia rebaudiana ),  Vach  ( Acorus  calamus ),  Konch  ( Mucunna  Prurita ),  Shwet  Musali ( Chlorophytum  borivillianum ),  Agarwood  ( Aquilaria  agallocha ),  Kalihari  ( Gloriosa superba ),  Ashoka  ( Saraca  asoca ),  Pippali  ( Piper  longum ),  Kokum  ( Garcinia  indica ), Pawad  ( Tephrosia  purpurea ), Shatavari ( Asparagus  racemosus ), establishment of nursery,  post-harvest  management  units    and  processing  unit  in  Karnataka  under

medicinal plants component of National Ayush Mission (NAM) scheme from the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21.  The detail is given at Annexure-I.

Besides this, NMPB through its RCFC has identified a farmers' cluster in Kodagu district  to  produce  quality  planting  materials  (QPMs)  of Piper  longum (long  pepper), Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), Canarium strictum (Dhupa) and Saraca asoca (Ashoka).

(c ) NMPB has approved a project entitled  "Forward  and  backward  linkage  in  the supply chain of medicinal plants in Karnataka (Integrated component)' to Karnataka State Medicinal Plants Authority (KaMPA) for an amount of Rs. 120.00 lakh during the F.Y. 2024-25 under Forward and Backward Linkages in the Supply Chain of Medicinal Plants to raise the Quality planting material for distribution to the farmers for medicinal plants cultivation  and  establishment  of  infrastructure  for  Post-Harvest  Management  and Marketing.

Beside  this,  NMPB,  Ministry  of  Ayush,  through  its  RCFCs  provides  Quality Planting  Material  (QPM),  impart  training  programs  on  Good  Agriculture  Practices (GAPs), Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs), Post- Harvest Management (PHM) to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants in the Western Ghats region. RCFC (Southern Region) has supported 19,43,410 Quality planting Materials (QPMs) of 54 medicinal plant species for distribution to the medicinal plants growers in Karnataka.

(d) To provide a platform for trade of Medicinal Plants & easy market access, NMPB has launched 'e -CHARAK' mobile application as well as web portal for the promotion and  marketing  of  medicinal  plants/herbs.  The  'e -CHARAK' is  a  platform  to  enable information  exchange  between  various  stakeholders  mainly  farmers  involved  in  the medicinal  p lants  sector  across  the  country.  The  'e -CHARAK'  application  supports different local languages and it also provides fortnightly market price of 100 MPs from 25 herbal markets across India.  To provide market linkage to the farmers/involved in cultivation/collection of medicinal plants, the detailed requirements from major companies (along with contact details of person from purchase dept.) are shared with all state  Implementing  Agencies  and  RCFCs  supporting  cultivation  of  Medicinal  Plants. NMPB, through its RCFCs also provides facilitation for market linkage, buyer sellers meet including buy back arrangement for farmer / growers of medicinal plants.

As per the information  received  from  Directorate  of  Marketing  and  Inspection (DMI),  the  Government  has  undertaken  several  measures  to  provide  assured  market linkages  to  farmers,  including  buy-back  arrangements.  These  include  promotion  and strengthening of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to enhance collective bargaining power and facilitate direct market access. Support is also being extended for development of post-harvest and processing infrastructure under various schemes. Further, efforts are being  made  to  grow  high  value  crops  including  Medicinal  and  Aromatic  crops  by FPOs/Farmers  with  Linkage/  integration  of  organized  supply  chains.  In  addition,

Initiatives such as market reforms, e-trading platforms, and facilitation of contract farming are also being promoted to ensure better price realization and market access for farmers.

(e) NMPB  has  adopted  a  multi-pronged  approach  to  ensure  that  medicinal  plant cultivation and collection in ecologically sensitive areas remain  sustainable and biodiversity-friendly. Key safeguards include promoting cultivation over wild collection, sustainable harvesting guidelines, establishing herbal gardens and supporting communitybased conservation initiatives.

1. Encouraged the farmers for cultivation of medicinal plants instead of relying on wild collection, reducing pressure on forests.
2. Published booklets and manuals on sustainable harvesting methods to prevent overexploitation  along  with  the  training  programs  for  collectors  and  local communities on non-destructive harvesting techniques (e.g., selective pruning, seasonal collection).
3. Community  and  Institutional  Involvement-Works  with  local  communities, Village Forest Committee (VFC), Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) members,  Non-Government  Organisations  (NGOs)  and  forest  departments  to integrate conservation with livelihoods.
4. Establishment of Herbal Gardens.

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## Annexure-I

| Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   | Details of activities supported in Karnataka under Medicinal Plants Component of 'National Ayush Mission' (NAM) Scheme, Ministry of Ayush from the F.Y. 2015 -16 to 2020-21   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| No.                                                                                                                                                                           | Activities supported                                                                                                                                                          | 2015- 16                                                                                                                                                                      | 2016- 17                                                                                                                                                                      | 2017- 18                                                                                                                                                                      | 2018- 19                                                                                                                                                                      | 2019- 20                                                                                                                                                                      | 2020- 21                                                                                                                                                                      | TOTAL                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 1                                                                                                                                                                             | Cultivation of Medicinal Plants (Area in hectare)                                                                                                                             | 529                                                                                                                                                                           | 706                                                                                                                                                                           | 769                                                                                                                                                                           | 469                                                                                                                                                                           | 353                                                                                                                                                                           | 1100                                                                                                                                                                          | 3926                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 2                                                                                                                                                                             | Establishment of Nursery                                                                                                                                                      | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 3                                                                                                                                                                             | Post-harvest Management                                                                                                                                                       | 7                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | 2                                                                                                                                                                             | 4                                                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                                                             | 14                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 4                                                                                                                                                                             | Processing Unit                                                                                                                                                               | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                                                             |