|
NEDFi R&D Centre
|
 |
NE States being mega bio-diversity hot spot in the country are
harbouring numbers of valuable MAPs including Agar, Taxus and
Ginseng etc. The diversified agro-climatic and soil condition are
favourable for cultivarion of numbers of valuable MAP in the region.
NEDFi has established a Research and Development Center for
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants located at Khetri, Kamrup District,
Assam.
The genesis of NEDFi’s R & D Centre began in 2001 with the
aim of transforming nature’s bounty of medicinal and aromatic
plants to wealth in the hands of the masses. NEDFi has undertaken a
promotional scheme for commercialization of some medicinal and
aromatic plants (MAP) of economic importance. So far out of 16
prioritised MAPs, NEDFi identified Patchouli, Geranium and Vetivar
for commercial farming.
More MAPs are at the centre to explore agro-technology and
feasibility
Objectives:
- To conduct survey on locally available MAPs and document them;
- To identify species/varieties based on domestic as well as
international market demand;
- To develop production technology;
- To identify crops that have market potential and suits our
agro-climatic conditions;
- To standardize their agro-techniques and promote commercial
production;
- To develop linkages between growers, industrialists for
marketing;
- To create awareness on commercial cultivation and extension
among growers, processors;
- To create awareness against unscientific forest base
exploitation and encourage in-situ conservation.
Services offered:
- Consultancy/Technical services for cultivation and processing;
- Transfer of technology;
- Testing and quality analysis of essential oils;
- Offer guidance to growers and processors in value addition and
marketing;
- Impart training and organize seminars/workshops etc.
- Demonstrations
Facilities available:
NEDFi’s MAP research station equiped with
- Germ Plasm Bank
- Propagation Facility
- Trial and Demonstrations
- Primary pilot processing plants
- Quality Control Laboratory
- Training Facility
- Library
- Competent Research Workers
- Institutional Support
- Herbal Garden - a live display of species having commercial
potential with detail information;
- A modern nursery;
Achievement in Last Three years.
The farming of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants [MAPs] is a new and
emerging sector for economic uplifement of rural masses in the
region. Efforts are being made to develop a complete information
center necessary for promotional activities of this venture.
Maps undertaken for commercial cultivation along with primary
processing
|
States |
MAPs |
Area (acres) |
Processing unit |
Under NEDFi Finance |
|
Assam |
Patchouli
Vetivar
Citronella
Lemongrass |
300
10
1200
15 |
13
1
15
1 |
3 |
|
Arunachal Pradesh |
Patchculi
Geranium
Citronella
Lemongrass
Damask Rose |
150
50
1500
10
Nursery Stage |
4
5
25 |
1 |
|
Nagaland |
Patchouli
Geranium |
100
10 |
2
2 |
1 |
|
Meghalaya |
Patchouli |
5 |
1 |
|
|
Tripura |
Patchouli
Sugandhmantri |
5
2 |
1 |
|
|
Sikkim |
Patchouli |
1 |
|
|
|
Manipur |
Patchouli |
2 |
|
|
Commercial Status of MAPs in NE States
|
Crops |
Area (Acres) |
Nos. of processing units |
|
Patchouli |
563 |
24 |
|
Geranium |
60 |
7 |
|
Citronella |
2700 |
40 |
|
Lemongrass |
25 |
1 |
|
Total |
|
72 nos. |
Employment generation (Direct)
-Cultivation: 5,02,200 Man-days/ year
-Primary Processing: = 36,000 man-days annually
Future Thrust crops/areas of works
- Artemisia (Artemisia annua) an
antimalaria drug plant
- Sugandhmantri (Homalomena aromatica)-an aromatic and shade
loving plant indegeneous to this region
- Promotion of biofuel crops
- Micro-Propagation of selected MAPs
- Emphasis on effective transfer of Technology (Lab to land
programme)
- Value Additions
- Emphasis on Organic Farming of MAPs
- More emphasis on multiple, inetr and multistoried cropping
- Conservation of indegeneous MAPs species
- Improvement of Primary Process Technology
- Product Development Technologies
NEDFi’s R & D Centre for MAP is co-sponsored by North
Eastern Council and Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of
India.
Note. : Bourbon type geranium oil grown in
Arunachal Pradesh is available at NEDFi's R & D Centre, Guwahati
in 100 kg packet. For details, pl. contact the Director at the
following address.
Director,
NEDFi R & D Centre,
Khetri, Kamrup,
Assam-782403
Ph: (0361) 2787411
Fax: (0361) 2787412
|
