Himalaya Drug Company in pact with IDEI

Bangalore, Jul 12: Leading herbal drug manufacturer Himalaya Drug Company and International Development Enterprises India (IDEI), a non-profit organisation, have entered into a strategic partnership to explore ways to help small farmers.

Addressing a joint press conference here last evening, IDEI Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Sadangi and Himalaya Chief Executive Officer Ravi Prasad said the farmers could be linked up as suppliers of raw material for the company.

Mr Prasad said that under the alliance, small farmers would be encouraged to grow herbs needed for the company with complete financial and technical support and assurance to buy back the produce. It was proposed to adopt some villages to grow rare medicinal plants. There were 176 varieties of medicinal plants and all could not be grown in one place as they grow only in suitable weather, water and other favourable conditions.

He said it was also proposed to open a training centre in Bangalore to impart training to selected farmers. To begin with, Nelamangala and Bidadi villages have been selected in Karnataka to grow medicinal plants in about 600 to 700 acres of land. Nearly half a dozen herbs have been identified to be grown in these two villages, benefitting about 35 farmers.

The company, which registered a turnover of Rs 350 crore last year, exported 25 per cent of its products to various countries.

The global market for herbal medicine was to the tune of US Dollar 62 billion, but India's contribution was only one billion Dollar, he added.

Mr Sadangi said IDEI's unique approch towards poverty alleviation was to put income-generating technologies in the hands of rural poor families. IDEI, since 1991, had been in the forefront of a relentless war against poverty and hunger, providing over seven lakh poor farmers with affordable technologies aimed at enhancing their farm productivity and income.

UNI