Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Government is undertaking concrete measures to promote herbal cultivation in the state. Several schemes are being run by Chhattisgarh Tribal, Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board for the same. Currently, the cultivation of medicinal plants is being done on more than 1000 acres of land by selecting climate-friendly species in different areas of the state.
Ambikapur, Mainpat, and Jashpur have been selected for lavender cultivation and central region of Bastar for rosemary cultivation, as pilot project. The initiative aims to double the profit earned by farmers compared to that earned through traditional farming.
State Medicinal Plants Board Chief Executive Officer J.A.C. Rao said that under the National Aroma Mission scheme, the work of cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants is going on in the state with the assistance of the Chhattisgarh Tribal, Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board. Lemongrass, CKP-25 (lemon grass) is being cultivated under this mission. Besides, the farmers are being provided with all the support and assistance including technical information and necessary equipment.
Officials said that currently, work is being done by 02 groups in Chhattisgarh. The first group is operating at villages Churki, Deori, Khemda, Dongargaon, Mohda and other places under the Mahasamund district. A distillery has also been installed there for oil extraction. Chhattisgarh Tribal, Local Health Traditions and Medicinal Plants Board has entered into an agreement with various institutions to sell the products in a planned manner in the past as well so that the farmers do not face any problems in selling their products. In addition, I.I.I.M. Technical experts from Jammu, Dr Rajendra Bawaria and Shri Rajendra Gochar are continuously training the farmers by providing them technical knowledge and capacity development. Through this, the difficulties faced by the farmers in agriculture are being resolved.
Similarly, the second group has been started in the Gariyaband district in which a large number of farmers have been trained for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Besides, 04 more groups will be formed by the farmers of Dhamtari, Bastar, Pendra and Durg districts and the work of cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants will be started in these districts in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Jamarosa CN-5 variety has also been tested by the board last year and is currently being expanded. The cultivation of the Jamarosa CN-5 variety is being done in an area of about 25 acres and lemongrass in more than 300 acres. Presently, seven distilleries have been installed by the farmers and I.I.I.M. Jammu. The state government is eyeing to make Chhattisgarh a special model for herbal cultivation. Besides, more than 4,000 to 6,000 local families will be benefitted from the commencement of the said work under the mission, said the officials.
