Investment opportunities in Nepal in the agriculture sector -Part I

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants

Due to varied agro-climatic environment, Nepal is very rich in medicinal and aromatic plants with over 700 plant species. The collection of such plants from wild sources has been practised since ancient times. With the establishment of the Royal Drugs Research Laboratory in 1962 the commercial utilisation of medicinal plants has been encouraged. More than 300 species have been screened and studied and extraction of diosgenin, reserpine, alkaloids of belledona, glycosides of digitalis, lemon grass oil, rosin, turpentine and menthol has commenced. Nepal, a traditional exporter of crude herbs, is now gradually emerging as an exporter of processed herbs and aromatic plants. In recent times commercial cultivation of medicinal plants such as atropa belladona and aromatic plants such as palmarosa, lemon grass, citronela and mentha arvensis have assumed importance. Recent studies also indicate good prospects for the cultivation and processing of chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium (pyrethrum), claviceps purpurea (Ergot), digitalis lanata, eucalyptus camaldulensis, glycyrrhiza flabra, mucuna pruriens, piper longum and valeriana wallichi.

The medicinal and aromatic plants can be exploited for the production of following: essential oils from lemon grass, citronella, palmarosa and mint, oleoresin from ginger, large cardamons, timur and tejpat; turpentine oil and rosin from chir pine; medicines from valeriana wallichii, calamous acrous and nardostachye jatamanshi. In addition to traditional medicines and essential oils, herbs and essences also have a potential as a raw material for the production of cosmetics and perfumes, herbal teas and natural health products.

Source: http://www.catmando.com/gov/industry/fip…