Assessment of Demand and Supply of Some Important Medicinal Plants in Madhya Pradesh

Three important high value medicinal plants of Madhya Pradesh viz., Embelia tsjeriam-cottam, Celastrus paniculatus and Centratherum anthelminticum were selected for demand-supply estimation as the prices of these species had shot tremendously during past five years and not much information was available on this. Demand for these species was estimated by interviewing 191 Ayurvedic and other Indian system of Medicine (ISM) industries about their annual requirements in drug preparations. Supply from forests and other sources was estimated by interviewing traders at each block level where the species occur and quantity of trade district wise. Total demand for Embelia tsjeriam-cottam (Baibirang) is 37.79 quintals and supply is 248 quintals in M.P. In the case of Celastrus paniculatus (Malkangni) the demand in the state is for 42.9 quintals and supply 218.5 quintals. Similarly for Centratherum anthelminticum (Vanjeera) also the demand is 213.80 quintals and supply available is 2610 quintals. The state is therefore surplus in these medicinal plants and 89-90% of raw material is reported to be supplied to other states.