To expand the cultivation of medicinal plants by 2027 in the program

TEHRAN – The expansion of land for the cultivation of medicinal plants by 300,000 hectares is one of the goals set in the seventh five-year national development plan (2023 – 2027).

“In the sixth national development plan, medicinal plants were expanded by 491 thousand hectares exceeding the set target of 250 thousand hectares,” IRIB quoted Tarahom Behzad, an officer of the resource management organization. natural and aquatic.

Expansion of land for the cultivation of medicinal plants by implementing multi-purpose pasture management plans using biological and biomechanical methods and preventing any change in pasture use is also considered in the seventh plan of country, the official added.

More than 1,500 tons of medicinal plants were harvested, and more than 961 tons were exported in the last Iranian calendar year (which ended on March 19), Behzad continued. before realizing.

In July the official said that 14 natural climates are known in the world, Iran includes about 11 of these types of climate and the country is a breeding ground for all types of medicinal plants.

So far, about 8,600 species of plants have been identified in Iran, of which 2,300 species are medicinal and directly used in the field of medicine, health and food, the official added.

He said that benefiting from a special climate and an area of ​​about six million hectares of medicinal plant areas is a very suitable opportunity for proper use, serious investment to work, create, and job opportunities as well as specialized imports in the manufactured goods sector. , and get foreign currency.

More than 300 drugs produced by medicinal plants

More than 300 medicines are made from 1,200 medicinal plants in the country. The production of medicines from plants in this country started way back in 1980.

About 4,400 natural products and more than 2,000 traditional products are offered by local companies in the market.

So far, about 30,000 species of plants have been identified in the world, and Iran’s share of about 8,000 species exceeds all the species found in Europe.

Each use of medicinal plants in Iran is about one kilogram of dried plants, in other words, 83,000 tons of medicinal plants costing 1.2 trillion rials (about some $ 4 million) are eaten in the country, while in Europe this amount is 900 grams and. In the United States it is 2.5 kilograms.

Iran has a 40% market share

In October 2023, an official of the Ministry of Health said that Iran has 40 percent of the market of medicinal plants in neighboring countries.

“Huge quantities of medicines, supplements, food and drink products are exported to Iraq, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Afghanistan,” IRNA quoted Hamidreza Banafsheh as saying.

Iran is one of the leading countries in the field of medicine and health technology, supplying 98 percent of the medical equipment to the domestic market, the official said.

“Approximately 450 of the 1,400 companies with knowledge are active in the field of herbal medicine, biotechnology and food industry.”

He went on to say that the National Center for the Development of Medical Research is committed to increasing the export of medical products.

Since most of the raw materials for the production of herbal medicines come from this country, these products can compete with those of other countries, he added.

Besides, about 15 to 20 percent of Iran’s herbal medicines are unique in the world. Iran has the ability to produce new herbal medicines in the world, he emphasized.

The production and sale of medicinal plants are the best ways to produce many sources of herbal medicine that, in addition to generating foreign currency for the country, will lead to the scientific authority of Iran in this field, he decided.

MT/MG