Facilitator

 Identified Areas
 Herbal Cultivation Research Centre
 Extraction and Formulation Procedures
 Product Applications Development
 Testing and Certification requirements
 Packaging, Storage and Transportation
 Data Base Management
 Export marketing
 Consultancy

Identified Areas

Government would act as facilitator to encourage various activities, that would contribute to the progress of herbal industries in Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Govt. would identify and encourage appropriate organisations in various activities relating to herbal industry. Such organisations would be provided accreditation by Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Board for carrying out the activities, for which the required facilities and expertise would be insisted upon. The chosen organisations would be recommended for grants and support from the Government and other donor institutions.  The organisations would also be encouraged to take up joint venture programmes. Such selected organisations would entirely finance its investment requirement and would operate on profit basis

Herbal Cultivation Research Centre

Objectives of Research Centre

	To conduct research on development of species and cultivation procedures
	To set up medicinal plant nurseries
	To develop technology for micro propagation, tissue culture etc.
	To operate information centre on cultivation aspects of medicinal and aromatic plants and herbs

Cultivation practices

The vast biodiversity and range of climatic zones make India an ideal sourcing point for worldwide markets. There is need for improved, reliable and cost effective agronomic practices for making the natural products available in time and in adequate quantity . Quality assurance methods for source materials have to be established at global standards. Proper selection of crops, Upgradation of cultivation practices and a network of nurseries are essential.

Everyone of the herbs offer scope for development of improved cultivation practices

In the case of several species, it is possible to increase the active ingredient content and improve the yield by initiating the research techniques.

This is a continuous process that has to be carried out by the R&D agencies, keeping in view the market requirements and product application development.

Scope for R&D functions

Research activities have to be initiated for improvement of species to provide more application and better yield. Developing optimum norms for introduction of bio fertilizers and bio pesticides etc. for appropriate cultivation according to different soil and climatic conditions

Development of appropriate techniques and practices for organic cultivation

Research has to be directed to enlarge the areas of cultivation for herbs, that would enable it to be used in different soil and climatic conditions in Tamil Nadu..

Species that require particular focus in Tamil Nadu

Jojoba, Indigo, Davana, Senna, Hibiscus, Stevia

In the case of several herbs such as senna , research work has already been initiated by institutions such as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Methodology

Since every herb is important and every herb has its own characteristics, specific institution would be asked to focus on particular herb. Such practice already exists in the case of agro products such as banana, grapes, tobacco etc.

In the case of Aloe Vera, a separate Aloe Vera Promoting Council operates in USA focussing on every aspect of research relating to Aloe Vera. Such practice and methodology would be followed.

Individuals and organisation with expertise should be encouraged to do such research work, exclusively oriented towards specific herb.

Agencies for Research

Agricultural research institutes both in the private and public sector can undertake such research work in cultivation practices. It would be appropriate to create and encourage the individual research institutes to conduct R&D work focussing on specific herb.

Such Institutions would be asked to draft long term and time bound R&D programme, for which the appropriate Government support can be given.
 

Cultivation

	To conduct research on development of new and appropriate species and cultivation procedures
	To develop technology for micro propagation, tissue culture, etc.
	To improve active ingredient content
	To improve yield
	To enlarge cultivation area by developing adaptability for the crop in different soil and climatic conditions
	To set up medicinal plant nurseries

Extraction and Formulation Procedures

To initiate research and development activities in extraction procedures and formulation practices with regard to individual herbs.

To set up multi purpose bench scale and pilot plant facilities.

Extraction and Formulation procedures

Extraction of herbs involves several process steps, which are specific to the individual herbs. Such process conditions, which could differ between one herb to other include handling, drying, pulverisaton, extraction and distillation procedures.

For e.g. some herbs are very sensitive for temperature condition and some others have to be processed immediately after cultivation. The use of solvent also have to be avoided in certain other cases.

Further, extraction have to be carried out under ideal condition to ensure that the product quality would be as per standards. Good manufacturing practices are very important. In Tamil Nadu, a number of herbal extraction units are operating at tiny and cottage unit level without observing necessary required procedures. Established Design and Detail Engineering Organisations are yet to enter herbal sector in a big way

In view of such reasons, extraction procedures adopted by individual units often are found to be inadequate. It is therefore, necessary to initiate R&D efforts to optmise the Extraction process conditions in tune with the modern technology.

Bench scale and Pilot plant facilities

Steps would be taken to initiate research and development activities in extraction procedures and formulation practices with regard to individual herbs. Such steps would lead to improved operating parameters in various unit operations such as handling, drying, pulverisation, extraction, distillation, etc.

Integrated pilot plant facilities are required to establish adequate extraction procedures for individual herb.. Extraction procedures have to be developed and standardised appropriate to the local conditions, instead of simply following the pattern adopted in developed countries.

The ideal arrangement would be to involve high level educational and academic institutions like IITs in such functions, who already have adequate infrastructural facilities and who can undertake sponsored research work. The feasibility of encouraging individual chemical engineering consultancies to set up pilot plant extraction facilities to carry out process development work would also be examined. Such organisations would be provided accreditation for carrying out the activities, for which the required facilities and expertise would be insisted upon.

The chosen organisations would be recommended for grants and support from the Government and other donor institutions. The organisations would also be encouraged to take up joint venture research programmes on sponsored basis

Super critical extraction

To penetrate the international market, supercritical extraction procedure have to be extensively standardised and adopted. The parameters for operating supercritical extraction facilities would differ between one herb and other. In view of this, it would be appropriate to create an Application Development Centre for supercritical extraction.

Such centre can undertake trial runs for supercritical extraction and provide parameters to the units, desirous of setting up supercritical extraction facilities for different herbs.

Expected benefits

Improved process conditions would result for production of extracts and formulated products, with better quality, yield and economics of operation.

Successful work would significantly improve and expand the application area and demand base for the products in India and abroad.

This would substantially improve the business prospects for the herbal units.

Product Applications Development

To establish on firm scientific lines and to develop scientific explanations for several of applications for the herbs that are traditionally believed.

To develop new applications and new formulation procedures for products in user friendly manner, in tune with the modern trends and consumer’s preference

Need for product application development

In the case of several herbal products and derivatives, market demand is not as much as the potential . This is mainly due to the fact that appropriate application development efforts have not been adequately put forth .

For e.g. large number of derivatives of Aloe Vera can be produced for application particularly in the food health sector.. Aloe Vera products can be profitably put into market as sport drinks This requires development of appropriate formulations and then testing of such formulations in market to determine consumer receptivity.

The application development efforts have to be made by encouraging Research and Development functions with clear understanding of market requirements and consumer preference

Close understanding and coordination between these R & D units and marketing agencies are necessary.

Application development efforts is gigantic and long term task, which has to be carried out for specific individual herbs, with long term planning.
 

Testing and Certification requirements

Testing of herbs is an investment oriented activity. Most of herbal units in small and medium scale sector can not be expected to have facilities and expertise for testing and analysis of the herbs.

This is particularly so in the present global context, where testing procedures have been made very stringent.

Certification requirements can be broadly divided into two aspects namely testing of raw materials and in process stocks as well as that of finished products.

The testing procedures have to be simplified and made cost effective, appropriate to the local conditions, that would meet the international market expectations

The setting up of number of testing laboratories are urgently required at international standards. Considerable R&D is required in the field.

Strong cases exists for foreign technical collaboration in setting up and operating such testing facilities to achieve quick results.

Testing and analytical facilities

To conduct various analytical tests and finished product analysis

To provide quality certification for the product

Divisions

Chemical section
Micro biological section
Instrumentation section

Type of tests to be carried out

Physical tests,
Proximate analysis,
Chemical analysis
Microbiological analysis

Testing and Certification organisations

The Government would encourage creation of facilities for various analytical tests and finished product analysis

The Government would encourage creation of certification agencies for providing certifications for the raw material and product analysis
 

Packaging, Storage and Transportation

The Government would encourage agencies to develop packaging, storage and transportation techniques in tune with the product characteristics as well as the consumer’s expectations and seasonal conditions

Data Base Management

The Government would create a strong and continuously updated library and information centre, that would provide updated data and information on various aspects of herbal industry operations including cultivation practices, processing technology, storage and packaging methods, demand supply scenario, price behaviour, new projects, profile of major players, patent scenario, Govt. policies, international rules and regulations, etc.

The data base management would continuously monitor the progress and development, collect data and information, organise them in an appropriate user friendly manner and make them available to the industry that would include cultivators/processors/R&D personnel/Marketing personnel and Corporate planners

While a few libraries already exist in specialised technical institutions in the State, they largely cater to the student population and are not available for the herbal industry. Further, such libraries are not exclusively specialised in the herbal sector.

Such libraries and information centres have to be set up at different locations in Tamil Nadu, providing proximity to the individuals and organisations involved, who are located in different regions in the state.
 

Export marketing

The Government would encourage highly specialised trading houses for operating in global market.
 

Consultancy

The herbal industry in all segments require considerable external assistance and guidance, to formulate action plans, work out the strategies and optimise the performance standards.

The Government would encourage consultancy organisations with capability to provide such vital services