IMPHAL, Feb 23: Leading herbal based pharmaceutical companies of India like Dabur and Himalaya have expressed desire of establishing manufacturing units of ayurvedic medicines in the state in view of numerous varieties of valuable medicinal plants found abundantly in the state.
Altogether nine pharmaceutical companies of India namely Dabur, Himalaya, Natural Remedy, Pharmexil, Century Products, Herbal Health Research Consortium, Agrotech and Phytochemistry, Pharmaceutical Export Promotion and Allen Laboratories participated in the two days buyers and sellers meet organised by the Facilitation Centre on Medicinal Plants of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development, Takyelpat, Imphal, in collaboration with Manipur State Biodiversity Board on February 22 and 23 at IBSD complex, Takyelpat.
This meet was organised under the sponsorship of National Medicinal Plant Board, Department of AYUSH and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, to promote cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants for sustainability as well as for cost effective treatment.
At the closing function of the two days meet held this afternoon, health and family welfare minister Ph. Parijat maintained that the people of the state can be economically self-reliant by cultivating the medicinal plants which are in great demand for manufacturing pharmaceutical drugs and added that the government would also render financial assistance to the farmers and entrepreneurs for cultivation of such valuable medicinal plants.
People should also have awareness on the usefulness of medicinal plants which are used extensively in treatment purposes, Parijat noted.
He also emphasized on setting up of certain small scale industries based on bioresources in order to improve the economic condition of the state to some extent.
Highlighting the quality of medicinal plants found in the state, additional principal chief conservator of forest, Government of Manipur, Bala Prasad stated that the gooseberries (Phyllantus emblica) found in our state possess great nutritional value and they are in great demand by the pharmaceutical companies.
He also stated that the local varieties of various medicinal plants are greatly demanded by the companies and so the people should try to cultivate and produce more of such plants both for income generation and medicinal purposes.
The closing function was also attended by Dr. V. Ramakantha, CCF, Government of Manipur and member secretary Manipur State Biodiverity Board and Dr. NC Taluldar, director (i/c) IBSD, Imphal.