Export of Raw Medicinal Plants Must be Changed to Processed Form

Dr. Faraz Mojab, who is the member of board of director of Iran’s National Network of Research and Technology in Medicinal Plants and organizing secretary of the 4th National Congress in Medicinal Plants, in the press conference which was held for this Congress said, “We now have export of raw medicinal plants, such as saffron, in Iran,on the other hand, there are specific plants sold in border markets, whose usage is not scientifically proven. However, with the backing of the government, they are given permit to be sold.”

He added, “There are very strict standards for plant products, determined by Ministry of Health and we might not have as many medicinal plants as Europe, but the policy of our Ministry of Health is exactly similar to that of Food and Drug Administration of the USA and the active compounds must be identified and ensured of its ultimate safety.”

Mojab stated, “there are 1000 herbal medicines in Iran, some of which are covered by insurance and some other are over the counter.”

Member of the board of directors of National Network of Research and Technology in Medicinal Plants continued to say, “Medicinal plants also have a considerable share in exporting, so they are being exported to countries with the coastline on the Persian Gulf and the neighboring countries such as Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. However little these exports are, due to foreign currency issues, they exist.”

Mojab added, “Furthermore, there are limited and legal exports of these medicinal plants in border markets, but unfortunately, we are unaware of their scientific usage, and the buyers of these plants do not reveal their intentions of buying them. Of course, the government’s policy is to support these border markets; however, if we can produce the industrialized medicinal plants in the form of processed rather than raw material, it will be advantageous.”

Mojab said, “Medicinal plants must be gathered from the signing of contract with the farmers, and not in the form of collecting them from the pastures. All of these are observed by Food and Drug Administration to be looked into from the standpoint of heavy metals, fungal contamination, pesticides residues and chemical compounds.”

Member of the board of directors of National Network of Research and Technology in Medicinal Plants went on to say, “We have some problems with the machinery of medicinal plants production, but we are in contact with the foreign countries, scientifically.”