Himalaya Drug Company inks pact with IDEI

Bangalore, July 12 (UNI) Herbal drugs major Himalaya Drug Company and International Development Enterprises India (IDEI) have entered into a strategic partnership to explore ways to help small farmers.

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.

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

It was also proposed to open a training centre here to impart training to selected farmers. Nelamangala and Bidadi villages have been selected in Karnataka to grow medicinal plants in about 600 to 700 acres of land, Mr Prasad said .

Nearly half a dozen herbs have been identified to be grown in these two villages, benefitting about 35 farmers.

It was also proposed to adopt some villages to grow rare medicinal plants. There were 176 varieties of medicinal plants of which all could not be grown in one place as they grew only in suitable weather, water and other favourable conditions, Mr Prasad added.

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 62 billion dollars, 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, a non-profit organisation, has been fighting against poverty and hunger since 1991, providing over seven lakh poor farmers with affordable technologies aimed at enhancing their farm productivity and income.

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