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Friday, Jun 08, 2007
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Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Friday, Jun 08, 2007 ePaper |
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Agri-Biz & Commodities
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Events Neem foundation aims at growing 10 crore trees Our Bureau
Natural remedy Neem is commercially used as a natural `non-violent' pest control agent, in vet care, fertilisers, soaps & toothpaste. A big opportunity awaits the industry in the form of neem-coated fertilisers.
Bangalore June 7 Neem, the bitter native tree, will try to catch some international attention when the World Neem Conference meets in Coimbatore later this year. The Neem Foundation that is hosting the four-day event in November says the public, industry and the Government should take the humble, free-growing medicinal tree seriously as India has much to gain from it. Though India has the largest number of neem trees and the Latin name azadirachta indica also recognises the neem's true home, the country should urgently take action to support and retain its traditional wealth, according to the foundation Chairman, Dr R.C. Saxena. One recent "threat" is China's Yunnan province, which has had 20 million trees planted in just five years. The foundation started its "Greening India with neem" campaign in 2005 with a target of ten crore trees by 2015 - five times the current number, said Ms Pramila Thakkar, Managing Trustee.
Third world product
Neem, called the village pharmacy for its therapeutic properties, is commercially used as a natural "non-violent" pest control agent, in vet care, fertilisers, soaps and toothpaste. Once considered a low-end third-world product, it is seeing a slow change in perception. While the Indian neem industry is still a Rs 100-crore scene, or ten per cent of its potential, Dr Saxena said the global neem trade could touch $500 million (Rs 2,000 crore) in ten years. The foundation estimates that the each tree can yield 50 kg of fruit or 6 kg of oil a year. While an ounce of the oil costs $10 in the US, India and neem-growing north Africa have sold it at $13-50 a litre. The foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, has shown suicide-prone farmers in Vidharba how to make their own bio pesticides and fertilisers. Dr Saxena said one neem dream was to plant these trees all along the 16,000 km of the Golden Quadrilateral. At returns of $100 a year as oil and cake, each tree will be worth $25,000 through its 250-year lifespan; that would be a value of $128 billion. It should also be researched for anti-HIV properties, he said.
Bio-friendly
According to Dr B.N. Vyas, Vice-President, Research & Technical Development, Godrej Agrovet Ltd, there is a big opportunity for the industry, such as for neem coated fertilisers that can prevent damage from urea overuse. Currently, a handful of fertiliser and cosmetics companies are involved with neem: TE Stanes, Godrej, Ozone Biotech, P.J.Margo, EID Parry; fertiliser makers NFL, Indo-Gulf, Chambal Fertilisers and Tata Chemicals. Neem 2007 slated for November 21 will have industries, universities and research institutions debating neem as an answer to pollution, global warming and soil fertility.
More Stories on : Events | Environment | Alternative Medicines
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