Steena Joy– Kochi
The Ayurveda industry is facing problems on the production front, which if not sorted out immediately, could impact the long-term growth prospects of the industry.
Alerting the industry to some of these problems Dr GG Gangadharan, Medical Director, Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) Healthcare Centre and Chairman, National Steering Committee for Global Ayurveda Festival, (a biennial get together of the Ayurveda fraternity from the world over), said, “On the one hand, mass production of Ayurvedic medicines is diluting the science. On the other, a shortage of herbs required to produce these medicines is looming. When the demand for Ayurveda increases, how will the treatment centres get the plants and herbs needed for production? Ayurveda uses some 1600 plants and herbs of which only 120 are in actual usage. Of these about 60 are not easily available.”
Alluding to the potential of the industry, Gangadharan said,“The global wellness market is worth some $five trillion. India earns Rs 9,000 crore from Ayurveda services alone and we have not even seen the tip of the iceberg as far as this science is concerned. Ayurveda is the only area where India is 5,000 years ahead of other countries. But this success story is in danger. Now even other countries like Switzerland, and Sri Lanka our neighbour are offering Ayurveda. As Ayurveda is not officially recognised by many countries, it is difficult for patients travelling to India for Ayurveda to get medical insurance.”
Gangadharan felt that a strong backward integration model needs to be adopted. “We have urged the government to implement a nursery technology programme to step up cultivation. Here again, some plants need to be cultivated ‘in situ’ in their original environment or they will lose their medicinal value.
Some herbs like gugulu which is the most used in Ayurveda is difficult to cultivate. So the government has to subsidise farmers and have a buyback arrangement.”
Baby Mathew, Chairman and Managing Director, Somatheeram Ayurveda Group, opined, “It is good that the government has implemented GMP in Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing. But sadly, there are no high standard research facilities for Ayurveda like the IITs for technology. The government has finally given approval for setting up an Ayurveda University, so at least the health department are on the right track.