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  Channel NewsAsia 1 Jan 06
Indian herb farms provide traditional cures, popular with eco-tourists
 By Channel NewsAsia's India Correspondent Vaibhav Varma

INDIA : Herb farming is gaining popularity in India, with the government promoting it as a budding business.

But beyond benefiting the medical field, herb farms are also fast becoming eco-tourism attractions. Satial, a forest range in the Himalayan foothills, is one of several areas in North India identified as ideal for growing herbs.

Medicinal farming is a new growth area for the country, with its development spearheaded by the government. This 14 hectare (35 acre) plot has been turned into a herb garden, housing some 70 types of medicinal plants.

Among these, Aloe Vera, which is used for a host of skin ailments, Sarpaganda for hypertension and stress, and Vacha for digestive disorders.

"We are creating a herbal garden to promote the old systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Unani. Because of our living and eating habits, a lot of diseases are lifestyle-created diseases," said Ishwar Singh, chief warden of Satial Herbal Park.

"The next generation should at least be aware about the utility, the services provided by these herbal gardens," he said. India now has 20 major state-owned/operated herbal parks and nurseries located across the country.

And there are many smaller ones run by private firms from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Most of the sites are in forest-rich Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states in the South and Uttaranchal in the North.

"Learning it in a nearby place where I stay is something new for me. And learning about different plants is always an excitement," said medical student Tajpreet.

Herbal parks may have started as a medical venture, but they are fast becoming tourist attractions. Visitors, especially city dwellers, are flocking to them for a back-to-nature outing, enjoying the fresh air and the chance to learn about medicinal plants.

Many of the gardens are managed by doctors who specialise in herbal treatments for a range of ailments.

Their homegrown remedies aren't just sold to the big businesses, they are also snapped up by visitors who come from miles around - a profitable form of domestic medical tourism. - CNA
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