BARIPADA: Farmers interested in growing medicinal and aromatic plants in Mayurbhanj district are yet to get financial assistance under Centrally sponsored scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Even as the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district is home to hundreds of varieties of medicinal plants, farmers are reluctant to take up herbal farming in the absence of Government support, training and technical assistance.
As per reports, the Central Government is providing financial assistance as subsidy to farmers to encourage cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants throughout the country under NAM scheme. At present, 140 medicinal plant species have been prioritised for supporting cultivation throughout the country for which the subsidy, as high as 75 per cent, is provided. But the benefits under the scheme are not reaching the farmers due to lack of proper implementation and awareness.
Though the soil in Barasahi block is suitable for growth of herbal plants like basil, aloe vera, aswagandha, apamarang, swetapuruni, basanga, pedipedikia, mutha, bajramuli, dudura, bisalyakarani among others, no sensitisation is being carried out among the farmers. Agriculture lands along the Budhabalanga and Gangahar rivers are suitable for better growth of medicinal plants, said Chandra Sekhar Mohapatra of Singtia village.
According to district administration sources, there are 37,000 hectares (ha) of cultivable land in the block of which kharif crop is grown over 26,000 ha and rabi in the rest of the land. Similarly, irrigation facilities are available in 10,300 ha of land. While 80 per cent of the farmers raise paddy, 15 per cent cultivate either vegetables or pulses and the other five per cent grow oilseeds. Though the vegetable farmers make some profit, paddy growers incur losses due to lack of satisfactory increase in the minimum support price.
Former Deputy Director of Horticulture Dharanidhar Patra said three years ago, the district administration had sought financial assistance from the State Government for farming of aloe vera over 25 acres in Barasahi. But no step has been taken so far. Similarly, several acres of land near the foothills of Similipal National Park can be used for cultivation of medicinal plants, he added.
“Pharmaceutical companies are facing a tough time in procuring medicinal plants for manufacturing alternative medicines as several medicinal plants are in short supply. Similarly, farmers don’t show interest in herbal farming as there is no Ayurveda-related industrial units in the district,” observed Dr Sanat Kumar Dash, Ayush physician of Badasahi Government hospital.
AYUSH Mission
140 medicinal plants species prioritised
75 pc subsidy for cultivation of plants which are highly endangered
50 pc subsidy for plants where sources of supply are declining
Soil in Barasahi block is suitable for growth of herbal plants