Profitable Medicinal Farming
The demand for medicinal products is steadily rising, proving beneficial not only for farmers but also for everyone else. Farmers can earn substantial profits by cultivating medicinal plants. Due to low production and high demand, farmers are receiving good prices for medicinal crops. Consequently, farmers are paying more attention to the cultivation of medicinal plants. In line with this, the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, organized a training program to educate farmers about medicinal and aromatic plant farming.
Benefits for Farmers:
For the past 60 years, the CSIR-CIMAP has been encouraging farmers by providing them with new agricultural techniques and superior varieties, benefiting millions of farmers. They advised farmers to seek information from scientists periodically after learning about agricultural techniques.
Blessings of Cultivating Medicinal Plants:
Farmers are finding the cultivation of various medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha, Giloy, Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, and Guggul to be profitable. Medicinal plants are extensively used in making Ayurvedic medicines. Amla, Neem, and Sandalwood are crucial in this regard. These plants take the form of trees after planting, and their leaves, flowers, fruits, roots, and stems are used for making medicines.
Income Generation from Medicinal Plants: Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are scarcely required for medicinal plants, resulting in low costs. Once planted, these crops can be harvested for up to three years. The cost of cultivation for the first year of medicinal crops is around INR 30,000 to 40,000 per hectare, while the profit in the first year can be over INR 1 lakh per hectare. Many pharmaceutical companies use plants to make beauty products, providing farmers with an opportunity for income.