Despite several initiatives taken by the Department of Ayush and Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), export of herbal drugs remained stagnant during the last more than five years.

According to sources, export of herbal drugs, excluding medicants and medicaments, from the country remained less than Rs 400 crore during the period from 2002 to 2007. As per the available data, during the financial year 2002-03, the herbal export from the country was Rs 376.51 crore and in 2003-04, it came down to Rs 315.89 crore. In 2004-05, the country's herbal drug export further went down to Rs 292.75 crore and in 2005-06 it registered a marginal growth to Rs 306.17 crore.

In 2006-07, it reached Rs 375.46 crore. Sources further added that during the year 2007-2008 also, the figure remains somewhat similar. There are around 2000 herbal drugs manufacturers, other than 400 companies which are members of Pharmexcil.

As per informed sources, China contributes 20 per cent to the global herbal drugs market, while that of India is only one percentage. "The herbal drug industry offers huge potential to the Indian companies. Similar to the Chinese government, here also the central government provides support to the herbal drug manufacturers in all possible ways. However, there is a need for the companies to learn standards prescribed by each countries and manufacture as per their standards," sources said. Sources added that the companies have to comply with global standards in order to register increase in exports.

Most of the manufacturers are concerned about what would happen after export, as the allowed heavy metal content differs from country to country. It is also learnt that most of the manufacturers export herbal drugs as nutraceuticals and food items. Sources also informed that the Department of Ayush is supporting the manufacturers in all possible ways by providing subsidies and arranging delegations to different countries. It is also bringing people from other nations to give seminar to the domestic herbal drugs manufacturers. It is learnt that the Pharmexcil would arrange delegations to three to four countries, including the US, Europe and Japan, this year.