The Gujarat Ayurvedic Aushadh Manufacturers Association (GAAMA) has urged the department of Ayush to set up an authorised collection centre along with a fully equipped testing facility dedicated for the use of medicinal plants in the state. The association has recently sent a representation to the government in this regard.

This representation was sent with a view to pull medicinal plant cultivators and framers, who are alarmingly dwindling in numbers, to take up farming of high quality raw materials for manufacturing ayurvedic drugs.

In recent years, lack of government incentives and other subsidies had forced a large number of cultivators and farmers to give up cultivation of medicinal plants and other raw materials. This led to a severe crunch in the market for the availability of high quality and authentic medicinal plants and raw materials, creating an alarming gap in the demand and supply chain.

Industry fears that if the situation persists then it will severely impact the growth and development of the Ayurveda industry. However, Probodh Shah, president, GAAMA pointed out that it is not only the growth of the industry that will be affected but also the reputation of this industry as well since lack of high quality raw material is forcing the manufacturers to opt for the raw materials that are not of required standard.

Shah further stressed, “The only way to damage control this situation is by attracting more farmers by offering them subsidy for cultivating raw materials and plants that are needed as per our demand. But most importantly they should set up a government regulated testing and collection centre in the state for keeping up with quality parameters so that there is no compromise on the quality of the end product.”

He feels that if there is a strong requirement for testing it will not only help in prevailing and uplifting the quality of the products manufactured from the country but also will help in standardising the quality of products. Today, individual companies do the testing of the raw materials. However since the law does not state it as mandatory provision many companies are rumoured to skipping that part by not prioritising it.

Jaman Malaviya, vice president, GAAMA added, “Looking at the greater interest of the Ayurveda industry, it is high time the government puts in resources to ensure that its growth is not affected in the least. Today lack of incentives and encouragement from the government had led to a situation wherein we are forced to get our raw materials from other countries to sustain our business as the product available in the country are not of expected standards.”

Today India imports plant raw materials for manufacturing ayurvedic products from Singapore, Sri Lanka, Iran and Afganistan.