Farmers, ayurvedic manufacturers join hands to eliminate middlemen

In a bid to eliminate middlemen and ensure fair prices for farmers, the Ayush Department organised a one-day conference between medicinal plant cultivators and Ayurvedic medicine manufacturers at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula. The event, hosted by the State Medicinal Plants Board of the Ayush Department, aimed to directly connect farmers with pharmacy owners.

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Highlighting the need for such initiatives, Sanjeev Verma, Director General of the Ayush Department, said, “Due to the lack of a proper market for marketing and selling options, farmers do not receive fair prices for their produce. Therefore, a meeting of pharmacy owners and medicinal plant cultivators was organised.”

The conference witnessed the participation of 30 farmers and 20 Ayurvedic medicine manufacturers. Currently, around 4,000 farmers in Haryana are engaged in cultivating medicinal plants. During the event, farmers voiced concerns about limited market access and low returns for their crops.

In response, pharmacy owners advised farmers to focus on improving the quality of their produce through better drying, storage, and primary processing techniques. “This will enable drug manufacturers to purchase directly from them,” suggested one of the manufacturers.

Dr Dilip Mishra, State Licensing Authority of the AYUSH Department, emphasised the need to bridge the gap between cultivators and manufacturers. A key suggestion from the conference was the development of an online portal where farmers can register and list the details of their produce.

“The portal will help pharmacy owners purchase directly from farmers,” Verma confirmed, adding that work on the portal will begin soon.

The event also featured an exhibition of medicinal plants cultivated by the farmers. Pharmacy owners made on-the-spot purchases, offering a glimpse of the potential benefits of direct transactions.

Verma also informed the farmers about various government schemes designed to provide financial assistance for the cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants. “With this financial assistance, they can sell their produce at higher prices in the market and improve their economic condition,” he said.

The Ayush Department plans to organise similar events in the future to further strengthen the relationship between farmers and Ayurvedic manufacturers. “This initiative will go a long way in ensuring fair prices and fostering growth in the medicinal plant sector,” Verma added.