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Sankar Radhakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram , Sept. 10

THE Kerala State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) is in the process of setting up a `herbal village' in the State.

Land acquisition for the village, in the Wayanad district, is already on, said Dr G.C. Gopala Pillai, Managing Director, Kinfra.

To be located on an area of around 300 acres, the `herbal village' will integrate the cultivation of medicinal plants with the manufacture of herbal products including medicines, he told Business Line.

While a major chunk of the land being acquired for the project will be used for cultivating medicinal plants, people from the surrounding areas will also be encouraged to grow medicinal plants that are commercially relevant, Dr Pillai said. They can then sell these herbs to the manufacturing units located within the village, he added.

Such a participatory venture that involves the local people will not only ensure that the companies operating within the `herbal village' have a regular supply of raw material, but will also guarantee the economic security of the local populace, he said.

The `herbal village' will also house world-class facilities for research and development in herbal medicine, he said. Similarly, it is expected to serve as a base for eco-tourism activities and also for therapy centres based on the principles of herbal medicine, he added. Once the `herbal village' in Wayanad is operational, the company may look at setting up a similar facility in the Idukki district, he said.

With over a 1,000 indigenous plant species that possess medicinal properties and favourable climatic conditions, Kerala is extremely suitable for the venture, said Dr Pillai. Given the increasing consumer interest in alternative systems of medicine and the usage of herbal products, the commercial viability of such a project is rather good, he added. A project of this sort will also help conserve many medicinal plants that are currently facing threat of extinction, he pointed out.

The company's role in this venture will be to develop the land in a suitable fashion and put in all the basic infrastructure — roads, buildings, power supply, water supply and so on — required for the project, he said. Besides, the organisation could also look at providing administrative support and facilities management services at the village, he added.

The company is also looking at setting up a `patent centre' in the State, said Dr Pillai. This facility would be for the use of the scientific community in Kerala and would serve as a resource centre on various issues related to patents, he pointed out.

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