Originally published December 14 2005
Stevia farms being developed in India
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
PB Kanjilal, head of the medicinal plant division of Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) of Jorhat, reports that his company is ready to harvest stevia, a plant whose leaves may help those suffering from diabetes.
The particular area was selected as the climatic condition there was ideal for the cultivation of stevia, he said.
Mr Kanjilal said on the sidelines of an exhibition of medicinal plants here on Saturday that RRL had provided technical assistance to the villagers besides acting as a facilitator to help them find marketing opportunities through tie ups with businessmen from as far as Hyderabad.
Stevia plants yield 2,500 kg dry leaves per acre per annum and one kg green leaves can fetch Rs 125.
In Arunachal Pradesh, he said nearly 30 species of medicinal plants had been identified whose cultivation had been found to be commercially viable.
These include campheria genanga used in mosquito repellants, pipli (cough syrup) and coptis teepa (liver tonic).
Mr Kanjilal also said that nearly 7,000 farmers were cultivating various medicinal and aromatic plants in north-eastern states, including 30 to 35 big entreprenuers who were mainly tea planters.
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