NEW DELHI, 8 May 2025: A high-level Stakeholder Consultation was held on Monday at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi, under the co-chairmanship of the Secretaries from the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and the Ministry of AYUSH, to deliberate on the promotion of medicinal plant cultivation across India.
The meeting witnessed participation from key ministries, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), ICAR, State Medicinal Plant Boards, State Horticulture Missions, progressive farmers, and leading private stakeholders from the medicinal plant industry.
In his opening address, Shri Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, MoA&FW, underscored the untapped potential of medicinal plants in domestic trade, inter-state commerce, and exports. He called for enhanced convergence between the Ministries of AYUSH and Agriculture, and emphasized collaboration with State Medicinal Plant Boards to drive cultivation at scale. He also highlighted that important medicinal plant species have been included under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
“There is a need for a mission-mode program to scale cultivation of medicinal plants, identify best practices, and apply efficient techniques to strengthen the sector,” said Chaturvedi, signalling a move toward a more structured national approach.
Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, echoed the opportunity for massive growth. “The AYUSH manufacturing sector has grown eightfold in the last decade. Post-COVID, there is a significant surge in the global demand for AYUSH products and medicinal herbs. This presents huge economic and export potential,” he noted.
The consultation aimed to build a robust ecosystem for medicinal plant cultivation through:
- Developing region-specific clusters for key medicinal crops
- Forging partnerships between farmers and industry players for assured procurement
- Establishing dedicated mandis and marketing platforms to ensure fair farmer pricing
- Promoting research, training, and extension services for capacity building
Stakeholders advocated for identifying crop-specific regions to build medicinal plant clusters, which would not only increase production but also facilitate end-to-end value chain development. The clusters would integrate cultivation, training, procurement agreements, and access to specialised markets.
In his closing remarks, Shri Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), highlighted the urgent need for policy support and financial incentives to encourage farmers to shift to medicinal plant cultivation. He emphasised the role of structured intervention in making medicinal plant farming economically viable.
The consultation marks a key step toward mainstreaming medicinal plants into India's agricultural narrative, with promises of income diversification, export expansion, and integration into the sustainable, health-oriented economy driven by AYUSH and natural wellness demand.
