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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AYUSH
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2729
ANSWERED ON 17/03/2026
“Development of Medicinal and Herbal Plants in the country”
2729. Shri Sana Sathish Babu:
Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:
(a) the details of cluster-based cultivation of herbal and medicinal plants identified across the
country, especially in Andhra Pradesh, indicating species, area (in hectares) and year of
coverage, State-wise;
(b) the subsidies released till date, farmers benefitted and post-harvest support measures
including funds allocated and utilised in Andhra Pradesh, year-wise;
(c) the number and details of Medicinal Plants Business Centres (MPBCs), State-wise
including Andhra Pradesh;
(d) the high-demand species identified nationally, including those in Andhra Pradesh receiving
funding support; and
(e) the export value of medicinal and herbal products during the last five years and measures
taken to enhance farmers’ income, State-wise?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF
AYUSH
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) As per the information received from Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare,
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme
is being implemented for holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables,
root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic and medicinal plants, coconut,
cashew, cocoa and bamboo. All States (including Andhra Pradesh) and UTs are covered under
MIDH.
Under MIDH scheme, provision has been made for providing assistance for area
expansion of short duration medicinal plants i.e. non-perennial in nature and non-tree species.
Details of cost norms alongwith the pattern of assistance is given at Annexure-I.
Presently, there is no scheme for cultivation of medicinal plants in National Medicinal
Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush. However, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India
1had implemented Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) to promote
the cultivation of medicinal plants since 2015-16 to 2020-21. Under the medicinal plants
component of National Ayush Mission scheme, the Ministry of Ayush had identified 140
medicinal plants for cultivation throughout the country. Ministry of Ayush had supported
56305 hectare area under cultivation of medicinal plants throughout the country including
Andhra Pradesh from the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21. The detail is given at Annexure-
II. As per the information received from the Andhra Pradesh, the 15682.3 hectare area was
supported by SMPB, Andhra Pradesh for cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants during
the F.Y. 2025-26. The detail is given at Annexure-III.
(b) No fund was released for the subsidy to the farmers and Post-Harvest measures onwards
F.Y. 2020-21 as there was no scheme for cultivation of medicinal plants in National Medicinal
Plants Board, M/o Ayush, however as per the information received from the SMPB, Andhra
Pradesh, the subsidy was given to 9785 farmers under medicinal plants component of National
Ayush Mission Component from the F.Y. 2015-16 to 2020-21. The detail is given at
Annexure-IV.
Besides this, NMPB has supported a project entitled "Forward and backward linkage
in supply chain of medicinal plants” to the State Medicinal Plants Board, Andhra Pradesh
under Integrated Component wherein 04 Post Harvest Management Units were approved.
(c) NMPB, M/o Ayush has added a new component namely “Medicinal Plants Business
Centre (MPBC)” in the existing scheme of Central Sector Scheme for Conservation,
Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants of the National Medicinal
Plants Board in the month of September, 2025. Till date, no proposal has been approved to
any state under MPBC Component.
(d) National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has supported a demand and supply study
through Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, entitled
“Medicinal Plants in India: An assessment of their Demand and Supply” by G.S. Goraya &
D.K. Ved published in the year 2017. As per the study, the annual demand of herbs/medicinal
plants in the country was estimated to be about 5,12,000 Metric Ton in 2014-15. As per the
study about 1178 medicinal plants species are recorded in practices of trade, out of which 242
species are traded in high volume with an estimate of more than 100 MT per annum. The
study was published in 2017 and is available on the website of NMPB i.e.
(https://nmpb.nic.in/sites/default/files/Projects/Medicinal_Plants_in_India_An_Assessment_
of_their_Demand_and_Supply.pdf) .
NMPB, M/o Ayush has supported prioritised medicinal plants to the State Medicinal
Plants Board, Andhra Pradesh under cultivation activity of National Ayush Mission Scheme
from the F.Y. 2015-16 to 2020-21. The detail is given at Annexure- V.
2(e) Data for Export of medicinal plants is not maintained at NMPB. However, the value of
the trade of Medicinal Plants recorded under Chapter 12 of HS-Code 1211(PLNTS AND
PRTS OF PLNTS INCLD SEDS AND FRUTS USD FOR PRFUMRY
PHRMACY/INSCTCIDL OR SMLR PUR FRSH/DRID, CHLD/FROZ W/N CUT CRSHD)
are given below:
Year 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Export (in Cr) 2,796.72 3,155.28 3,499.53 4,030.64 4,508.54
Growth (%) 39.21 12.82 10.91 15.18 11.86
NMPB, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India has added a component namely Forward
and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants (Integrated Component) in the
existing Central Sector Scheme (CSS) on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable
Management of Medicinal Plants” to enhance farmers’ income. Under the Integrated
component of CSS scheme, the following activities are being supported:
• Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material to raise the planting material of medicinal
plants for cultivation.
• Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to aware the farmers.
• Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing to increase the
marketability of the medicinal plants, adding value to the produce, increasing
profitability and reducing losses.
• Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.
National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Ayush, has approved total 15 project
proposals under Forward and Backward Linkages in supply chain of Medicinal Plants
(Integrated Component) of Central Sector Scheme of NMPB from the Financial Year 2023 -
24 to till date. Out of 15 project proposals, the fund was released only for 7 projects. The
detail is given at annexure - VI.
*******
3Annexure-I
Cost norms for medicinal plants cultivation under MIDH Scheme:
Name of the Cost Pattern of Assistance
Component Norms
Medicinal Plants Rs. 1.5 Assistance @ 40% in general areas for an area
(Mulethi, Shatavari, Lakh/ha upto 2 hectare on pro rata basis for meeting the
Kalihari, Shwet Musali, expenditure on planting material and cost of
Guggle, Manjishtha, material for INM/IPM etc. in 2 instalments of
Kutki, Atees, 60:40
Jatamansi,
Ashwagandha, Brahmi, In the case of NE & Himalayan States, Scheduled
Tulsi, Vidarikand, areas including TSP (Tribal Sub Plan) areas,
Pippali, Chirata, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar and
Pushkarmool) Lakshadweep Islands, assistance will be @ 50%
for an area upto 2 ha. on pro rata basis.
4Annexure-II
State wise area supported for cultivation of medicinal plants under medicinal plants
component of National Ayush Mission (NAM) scheme from the F.Y. 2015-16 to 2020-21:
S.N 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- 2020-
State Total
o. 16 17 18 19 20 21
1 Andhra Pradesh 447 1160 897 508 1338 0 4350
2 Arunachal Pradesh 0 142 71 9 44 98 364
3 Assam 0 261 225 138 0 0 624
4 Bihar 0 0 0 0 175 0 175
5 Chhattisgarh 0 220 72 108 0 0 400
6 Goa 0 23 30 30 30 0 113
7 Gujarat 141 192 85 518 0 0 936
8 Haryana 175 245 0 0 0 0 420
9 Himachal Pradesh 39 120 7 0 70 0 236
10 Jammu & Kashmir 9 34 21 24 28 25 141
11 Karnataka 529 706 769 469 353 1100 3926
12 Kerala 258 535 736 410 0 330 2269
13 Madhya Pradesh 1681 2518 2030 1262 790 4270 12551
14 Maharashtra 327 0 444 0 520 0 1291
15 Manipur 142 242 142 60 30 0 616
16 Meghalaya 0 48 22 0 108 0 178
17 Mizoram 59 27 65 187 6 29 373
18 Nagaland 51 138 250 103 0 210 752
19 Orissa 0 488 0 378 0 0 866
20 Puducherry 0 43 0 2 5 0 50
21 Punjab 0 242 0 16 340 0 598
22 Rajasthan 330 1163 1341 519 760 0 4113
23 Sikkim 63 32 84 0 0 58 237
24 Tamil Nadu 633 960 673 765 900 0 3931
25 Telangana 345 294 457 237 341 0 1674
26 Tripura 45 0 0 211 0 0 256
27 Uttarakhand 153 148 183 110 208 0 802
28 Uttar Pradesh 3188 1898 1345 3633 0 2236 12300
29 West Bengal 107 230 417 261 748 0 1763
TOTAL 8722 12109 10366 9958 6794 8356 56305
5Annexure-III
Species wise area covered under cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants by Andhra
Pradesh during the F.Y. 2025-26:
Per Total
SL. Area in Hectare Production Rate Value
Name of the Crop
No (hectare) Yield in Qtls per kg (in
(Qtls) lakh)
1 Aloe vera ( Ghritkumari) 778.3 49.4 38450 10 384.5
2 Phyllanthus emblica (Amla) 44.0 98.8 4355 150 653.25
3 Bixa orellana (Sindhoora) 2801.6 4.94 13840 90 1245.6
Withania Somnifera
4 1847.0 4.94 9124 260 2372.24
(Ashwagandha)
Asparagus racemosus
5 48.9 24.7 1209 900 1088.1
(Shatavari)
6 Bacopa monneri (Brahmi) 31.8 37.05 1178 444 523.032
Cymbopogon nardus
7 216.2 1.235 267 1450 387.15
(Citronella Oil)
Plectranthus barbatus
8 20.0 12.35 247 400 98.8
(Pashana bhedi)
Andrographis paniculata
9 32.1 37.05 1188 90 106.92
(Kalmegh)
Abelmoschus moschatus
10 11.1 123.5 1372 200 274.4
(Kasturi benda)
Mucuna pruriens
11 28.1 37.05 1041 130 135.33
(Doolagondi)
Hemidesmus indicus
12 7918.0 4.94 39115 350 13690.3
(Nannari)
13 Piper longum (Pippalli) 816.0 4.94 4031 400 1612.4
Rauvolfia serpentina
14 16.0 44.46 714 700 499.8
(Sarpagandha)
Senna alexandrina
15 22.7 9.88 224 150 33.6
(Sonamukhi)
16 Acorus calamus (Vach) 4.0 24.7 100 270 27
17 Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) 316.4 49.4 15631 250 3907.75
Tinospora cordifolia
18 33.2 98.8 3280 110 360.8
(Tippateega)
19 Moringa oleifera (Munaga) 201.2 49.4 9940 165 1640.1
Cymbopogon citratus
20 142.5 7.41 1056 1200 1267.2
(Lemon grass)
Cymbopogon martinii
21 153.8 0.6175 95 4000 380
(Palmarosa)
Chrysopogon zizanioides
22 199.2 24.7 4920 120 590.4
(Vetiver)
Total 15682.3 750.2625 151377 11839 31279
6Annexure-IV
Detail of fund released, area supported, no. of Post -Harvest Management (PHM) units
and No. of farmers to the Andhra Pradesh:
S. No. Financial Fund Amount Area No. of No. of
Year approved utilized support farmers PHM
including (in ed (in
state share Lakhs) ha.)
(Amount in
lakh)
1 2015-16 133.780 - 447 - -
2 2016-17 457.16 121.28 1160 1612 4
3 2017-18 211.872 199.31 897 7347 2
4 2018-19 128.586 103.789 508 826 2
5 2019-20 314.9084 - 1338 - 4
Total 1246.3064 424.379 4350 9785 12
7Annexure-V
Species wise area supported under cultivation of medicinal plants under National Ayush
Mission from the F.Y. 2015-16 to 2020-21
Sr. Activity Supported 2015- 2016- 2017- 2018- 2019-
No. 16 17 18 19 20
1. Kalmegh (Andrographis 5 6 4 2.02 9
Paniculata)
2. Senna (Cassia augustifolia) 5 16 4 4.05 10
3. Kalihari (Gloriosa superba.) 10 8 2 2.02
4. Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum) 10 24 10 10.12 20
5. Pippali (Piper Longum) 10 84 121 30.35 184
6. Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia Serpentine) 10 8 4 2.02 10
7. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) 100 800 688 404.86 985
8. Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) 5 4 4 2.02
9. Mandookparni (Centella asiatica) 5 4 4
10. Amla (Emblica officinalis) 10 40 4 4.05
11. Bael (Aegle marmelos) 20 20 4 2.02
12. Neem (Azadichta indica) 10 20 4 2.02
13. Rakta chandan (Pterocarpus 100 40 4 4.05 25
santalinus)
14. Chandan (Santalum album) 100 40 4 4.05 25
15. Arujuna (Terminalia arjuna) 17 4 4 2.02
16. Behera (Terminalia bellarica) 10 4 4 2.02
17. Harad (Terminalia chebula) 20 4 4 2
18. Ghritkumari (Aloe vera) 30 20 20.24 20
19. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) 4 4 2.02
20. Patherchur (Coleus barbatus) 4.05 50
21. Konch (Mucuna prurita) 2
Sub-total 447 1160 897 508 1338
8Annexure-VI
Detail of projects approved under Forward and Backward linkage supply chain of
medicinal plants
S. F.Y. State File No. Project title Organizati Total
N on approve
o. d
amount
(In lakh)
1 2023- Andhra Integ. Forward and Andhra 120.00
24 Pradesh Comp./AP- backward Pradesh
01/2023- linkage supply Medicinal
24-NMPB chain of & Aromatic
medicinal plants Plants
Andhra Pradesh Board
2 2023- Jammu Integ. Forward and State 82.50
24 & Comp./J& backward Medicinal
Kashmir K-01/2023- linkage under Plants
24-NMPB Integrated Board,
Component of Jammu &
Central Sector Kashmir
Scheme of
Conservation,
Development
and
Sustainability of
Medicinal Plants
3 2023- Mizora Integ. Forward and State 120.00
24 m Comp./MZ backward Medicinal
-01/2023- linkage supply Plants
24-NMPB chain of Board,
medicinal plants Mizoram
4 2023- Uttarakh Integ. Establishment of High 120.00
24 and Comp./UK Seed Production/ Altitude
-01/2023- Germplasm Physiology
24-NMPB Centre (SG/PC) Research
for augment Centre
supply of (HAPPRC),
9Quality Plating HNBGU,
Material/ Seeds Srinagar
for the producers (Garhwal),
for cultivation/ Uttarakhand
plantation of
medicinal plants
in Himalayan
Region
5 2024- Karnata Integ. Forward and Karnataka 120.00
25 ka Comp./KR- backward State
01/2024- linkage in the Medicinal
25-NMPB supply chain of Plants
medicinal plants Authority
in Karnataka (KaMPA),
(Integrated Karnataka
Component)
6 2024- Tamil Integ. Forward and Tamil Nadu 95.00
25 Nadu Comp./TN- backward Agricultural
01/2024- linkage in supply University,
25-NMPB chain of Tamil
medicinal plants Nadu.
(Integrated
Component) -
TNAU
7 2024- Kerala Integ. Integrated State 120.00
25 Comp /KE- project on Medicinal
01/2024- Forward and Plants
25-NMPB backward Board,
linkages in the Kerala
supply chain of
medicinal plants
in Thrissur
district of Kerala
10