Health minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday launched cultivation of the medicinal plantAshwagandha(Withania somnifera) on a 200-acre plantation inDindiguldistrict. He said Ashwagandha cultivation should be the starting point for Dindigul to become a hub of medicinal Plants.
The Rs 1,000crore medicinal plant market in the country offers enormous scope for farmers to scale up their cultivation by exploring all central government schemes. The minister said Ashwagandha is widely cultivated in states likeAndhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh
Tampcol, the state agency manufacturing siddha medicines, depends on other states for raw materials. Hence, medicinal plants grown in the state will greatly benefit Tampcol.