BENGALURU: With the rising demand for medicinal plants and natural remedies, concerns over the availability of genuine products have also grown. To address this issue, the Karnataka State Medicinal Plant Authority (KAMPA) has proposed the creation of a dedicated portal and platform to provide authentic information on medicinal products and where they can be purchased
The initiative is aimed at guiding all stakeholders, including consumers, traders and collectors. The move follows the herbal expo organised by KAMPA in December 2025.
The Authority is also working towards establishing an organised marketplace for the auction of medicinal plants, similar to the system followed by Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs).
“By doing this, we not only want to eliminate middlemen but also ensure that genuine products reach consumers. We plan to begin auctions with popular and highly sought-after medicinal plants such as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Moringa (Moringa oleifera) and Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum). The board will sell its own products and also promote small-scale producers,” KAMPA Chief Executive Officer Arsalan told TNSE.
He added that a separate platform is also being developed for the retail sale of medicinal plants to consumers, as well as for traders and collectors. The platform will enable buyers and sellers to connect through an authenticated system According to official data, around 225 medicinal plants are traded in Karnataka. The State also has 14 identified and listed forest produce organisations that procure medicinal plants from forests.
However, in the absence of a single organised platform, the Authority is now working to bring all traders and stakeholders under one system. The portal will also list product standards and quality parameters that consumers should look for before making purchases.
Officials said the initiative aims to create greater awareness among the public. “With the rise in lifestyle diseases, many people are turning to natural medicines. Taking advantage of this demand, fake and adulterated products are being sold in the market. Even some large brands not only sell adulterated products but also procure raw material illegally.
The portal will allow consumers to verify the source of procurement,” a KAMPA official said. The Authority is also developing a comprehensive database of collectors, traders, suppliers and dealers—an area that has remained largely unorganised so far. Bringing transparency to this increasingly sought-after sector is a key objective of the initiative, the official added.