TEHRAN – Three national programs for the technological development of 24 species of medicinal plants have been prepared with the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology.

Herbs that are going to be harvested under the 10-year national plans include damask rose, cucurbita pepo, thymes, chamomile, savory, mint, Persian cumin, coriander, tarragon, Hypericum perforatum, valerian, rosemary, blacksamson echinacea, hyssop, Marian thistle, Melissa, passion flowers, marjoram, saffron, common sage, aloe vera, fennel, pot marigold, and hibiscus tea.

Some 83,000 tons of medicinal plants are consumed annually in the country. One of the agricultural potentials of Iran is medicinal plants, which for some reason, has been less considered so far. Despite the fact that out of about 8,000 plant species in the country, more than 2,500 species are classified as medicinal plants, but the research carried out during the last decade has met a small percentage of the needs in this field.

In the field of medicinal plants, it is very difficult to obtain suitable seeds and healthy plant organs, and the preparation and implementation of research plans and projects, especially in the field of technology and processing of medicinal plants seeds is an inevitable necessity.

By defining three national programs, these gaps are to be filled and 24 species of medicinal plants will be harvested in the country, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Herbal species in Iran

So far, about 30,000 plant species are identified in the world.

While medicinal plants account for one-third of the medicines used in human societies, the share of world trade in these products is about $124 billion and Iran’s share is $570 million, which is only 0.5 percent of the total.

The Sixth National Development Plan (2016-2021) envisages the rehabilitation of 9.6 million hectares of rangeland and medicinal plant habitats and the cultivation of medicinal plants in 100,000 hectares.

The per capita consumption of medicinal plants in Iran is about one kilogram of dried plants, in other words, 83,000 tons of medicinal plants worth 1.2 trillion rials (around $29 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) are consumed in the country, while in Europe this amount is 900 grams and in the United States is 2.5 kilograms.

224,000 ha under cultivation of medicinal herbs

Hossein Zeynali, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture, said in 2019 that some 224,000 hectares of area are currently under cultivation of medicinal herbs.

“During the last 2 years, we focused mainly on the development of a number of medicinal plants such as saffron, rosemary, and Persian cumin, that their cultivation is high in the country and brought an export revenue of 400 million dollars annually,” he said.

Statistics show that the consumption of medicinal plants in the country has become processed, and decreased imports by $50-60 million, on the other hand, increased the exports, he noted.

FB/MG