Though Uttarakhand has often been described as a hub of herbs, it has so far failed to tap the natural resources to its potential.

Farmers have been reluctant to switch to cultivation of medicinal herbs with lack of marketing and other infrastructural support acting as major deterrents.

The state is, however, now making efforts to encourage the farming community to take up cultivation of these plants with Chief Minister B C Khanduri himself being involved in drawing out plans for optimum tapping of the medicinal plants and promising to take care of the shortcomings in their cultivation and marketing.

“To begin with, we have initiated the process of free registration of farmers who are cultivating medicinal plants. This will give us an idea about the production of medicinal herbs and also help in drawing the future roadmap. Each farmer is being given a yield certificate also,” Dr Aditya Kumar, vice-chairman, State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB) told The Indian Express.

He further stated that the Government has established seven nurseries — at Mandal, Parsari and Kothiyal Sain in Chamoli, Dhanaulti in Tehri, Sela Qui in Dehradun, Gadarpur in Udhamsingh Nagar and Munshiyari in Pithoragarh — to provide saplings of these plants to farmers. These nurseries provide plants

that are grown at different heights and in different climatic conditions.

“We are also giving 50 per cent grant to farmers who are cultivating medicinal plants,” said Dr Kumar. “A plan is also in place to encourage farming of medicinal plants in clusters. Any farmer who sets up a distillation unit in these clusters will be given a 95 per cent subsidy. This has primarily been done to discourage migration of unemployed youth from the higher reaches of the Himalayas.”

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