MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

NATIONAL MISSION ON MEDICINAL PLANTS

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Mission on Medicinal Plants” has been
approved with a total outlay of Rs. 630 crores for implementation during the 11th Plan. During the 11th Plan, the Central Government’s contribution will be 100%. During the 12th Plan, however, the State Government’s contribution is proposed to be suitably enhanced, based on the mid-term review of the scheme. The scheme is proposed to be implemented in a mission mode to organically link different components under the scheme and thus give a strategic push to the Sector during the 11th Plan.

MISSION OBJECTIVES

• Support cultivation of medicinal plants which is the key to integrity, quality, efficacy and
• safety of the AYUSH systems of medicines by integrating medicinal plants in the farming systems,offer an option of crop diversification and enhance incomes of farmers.
• Cultivation following the Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACPs) to promote standardization and quality assurance and thereby enhance acceptability of the AYUSH systems globally and increase exports of value added items like herbal extracts, phyto-chemicals, dietary supplements, cosmeceuticals and AYUSH products.
• Support setting up processing zones/clusters through convergence of cultivation,
• warehousing, value addition and marketing and development of infrastructure for entrepreneurs toset up units in such zones/clusters.
• Implement and support certification mechanism for quality standards, Good Agriculture
• Practices (GAP), Good Collection Practices (GCP), and Good Storage Practices (GSP).
• Adopt a Mission mode approach and promote partnership, convergence and synergy among stake holders involved in R&D, processing and marketing in the public as well as private sector atnational, regional, state and sub state level.

MISSION STRATEGY
1. The Mission would adopt an end-to-end approach covering production, post harvest
management, processing and marketing. This will be achieved by promoting cultivation of medicinal
plants in identified clusters/zones within selected districts of states having potential for medicinal
plants cultivation and to promote such cultivation following Good Agricultural and Collection
Practices (GACPs) through synergistic linkage with production and supply of quality planting
material, processing, quality testing, certification, warehousing and marketing for meeting the
demands of the AYUSH industry and for exports of value added items.

2. The Mission also seeks to promote medicinal plants as a crop alternative to the farmers and through increased coverage of medicinal plants and with linkages for processing, marketing and testing, offer remunerative prices to the growers/farmers. This will also reduce pressure on forests on account of wild collection.

3. Mission seeks to adopt communication through print and electronic media as a strong
component of its strategy to promote integration of medicinal plants farming in the
agriculture/horticulture systems with emphasis on quality and standardization through appropriate
pre and post harvest linkages.

4. Promote and support collective efforts at cultivation and processing in clusters through Self Help Groups, growers cooperatives/associations, producer companies and such other organizationswith strong linkages to manufacturers/traders and R&D institutions.


i) SPV formed by at least ten enterprises/company/firms/partnership firms/producer’s
company/traders/ co-operative engaged in the business of medicinal plants/and their
products shall be eligible for funding under the scheme. Minimum two acres of land is
required for a SPV and the land should be in industrial estate/zone/park/cluster/area
be designated by the competent authority of the State. The SPV may also have common
facility units/laboratory on payment basis for members and outsiders.
ii) Bank account should be opened in the name of SPV and all the members should
contribute at least Rs. 5 lakhs as corpus fund to demonstrate their commitment towards
the project.
iii) Outside designated support for infrastructure for packaging, drying sheds, processing
units, testing mandies shall be provided to only public sector/farmer’s cluster/
Panchyat/farmer’s cooperatives/producers company linked to cultivation cluster.