The Hindu Business Line : `Indian firms must tap export potential of herbal drugs'

HERBAL drugs are in great demand in the West and Indian firms have ample scope to export such drugs if they can adopt good manufacturing practices (GMP) and measure up to the requirements, Mr D.R. Garg, Commissioner for Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, has said.

He was speaking to reporters at Vundavalli in Guntur district near here on Friday, after inaugurating the newly-built GMP block of Imis Pharmaceuticals Private Ltd, a local ayurvedic pharmacy. The block was built at a cost of Rs 20 lakh.

Mr Garg said that there were 550 ayurvedic pharmacies in the State, of which only 50 or so were adopting GMP. "The Western market is very alluring, but the herbal medicines prepared in the traditional manner are not acceptable. Our ayurvedic pharmacies have to adopt modern practices in medicine preparation without sacrificing the age-old principles. Adapting to modern markets is a very challenging task," he said.

Referring to the problems faced by the pharmacies, he said the Union Government would subsidise 10 per cent of the cost required for modernising the firms. The State Government would also help the units in every possible way, he said. A one-year certificate course in ayurvedic pharmacy would be introduced soon.

Aid for ayurvedic college: The Government has allocated Rs 50 lakh for developing the Government Ayurvedic College and the hospital attached to it, Mr Garg said. "I have requested the district collector to sanction some more funds for the purpose. A multi-storeyed college and hospital complex would also be built," he said.

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