The Hindu Business Line : Bank support for <I>Tinneveli senna </I>`needed'

Though the southern parts of Tamil Nadu, especially Tuticorin and Tirunelveli are ideal for cultivation, less than a third of the potential has been tapped. Other States such as Rajasthan are cultivating senna and benefiting from exports.

The solution, according to Mr P.S.S. Ganesan, a leading exporter based here, is to increase awareness of the use of senna in the domestic market, encourage farming and enable bank support for cultivation and processing.

Senna is known for its laxative properties and is one of the two internationally-accepted natural laxatives: the other being psyllium husk, which is better known.

Mr Ganesan's family has been in the business for more than six decades. There are over 25 exporters in Tuticorin who together export about 6000-8000 tonnes of senna leaves and pods estimated around Rs 50 crore. Exports also take place through Mumbai and Chennai.

Germany is a major consumer market, while China and Thailand process the product and re-export it to the US. Domestic exporters just cannot match the marketing strength of the Chinese traders.

Therefore, Chinese importers dictate the prices since the Indian exporters do not have direct access to the consumers.

Senna is yet to catch the imagination of the domestic markets where psyllium husk is preferred. The only Indian manufacturer of senna-based products is based in Gujarat.

Other multinational pharmaceutical companies also pick up senna but in small quantities, and it is only one of the many ingredients in their products, according to Mr Ganesan.

Though Tamil Nadu was among the earliest to get into senna farming the others like Rajasthan and importers like China were fast expanding their areas.

Tinneveli senna is the more popular variety in India with Kutch Senna considered second but unless there is a focussed programme to develop this crop the State could loss out, according to Mr Ganesan.

Farmers would benefit from the short-term crop that can be cultivated during nine months of the year with a harvest every six weeks. The leaves fetch between Rs 15 and Rs 25 a kg and the pods Rs 25.

The crop could contribute to the economy and development of the southern districts, he said.

China, for instance, is expanding its areas under senna cultivation along its border with Bangladesh where ideal conditions exist. Rajasthan bought about Rs 50 lakh worth Tinneveli Senna seeds about a decade ago and has been consistently increasing the area. Now exporters here occasionally have to get raw material from Rajasthan, he said.

The Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram region is ideally suited in terms of agro-climatic and soil conditions, and over 20,000 acres is under cultivation. Senna can be cultivated under low rainfall conditions. But supporting infrastructure is needed. Certification systems are needed for quality monitoring.

Existing agencies qualified to certify the products are expensive and the annual cost could run to a few thousand dollars, he says.

Government agencies such as the horticulture department could get into certification.

Soil testing laboratories were needed for identifying and correcting problems in soils to increase productivity. Banks should come forward to assist senna cultivation, Mr Ganesan said.

More Stories on : Cultivation | Alternative Medicines | Tamil Nadu

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