A 216 Hectares Increase of Medicinal Plants Cultivated Lands in Fars Province

Mohammad Mehdi Ghasemi said, “In compliance with the organizational goals, some of the approaches of the Fars province Agricultural Jihad Organization are, the optimization of the existing resources, the cultivation of medicinal plants which have priorities, are more economic and those that are more market-friendly, especially those medicinal species which require little water, considering the water crisis in the country mainly in Fars province.”

The head of Fars province Agricultural Jihad Organization went on to say, “In the farms of this province, medicinal plants have been cultivated in compliance with cropping pattern changes and resistive economy plan. Plants such as: stroma, thyme, lemon beebrush, Echinacea angustifolia, valerian, marjoram, buckwheat, artichoke and pyrethrum.”

He added, “In this respect, Fars province Agricultural Jihad Organization-Medicinal Plants Department was formed last year,  during which, 5 technical committee meetings and 5 staff meetings have taken place. Participants in these meetings came from different executive, research and university sectors, as well as private sectors, producers, processing units of medicinal plants, and various subjects such as, medicinal plants and saffron comprehensive plans, and executive strategies have been addressed. Also there has been follow ups on the related legal bills.”

Ghasemi stated, “On the other hand, the expansion of medicinal plants’ cultivation is on the agenda, in a way that in 2014 comparing to 2013, we have had 216 hectares increase in the cultivated lands, and by taking into consideration the harvest season since the beginning of 2015, there has been 36 hectares of cultivation of Cucurbita pepo for the first time in Khonj, Khorrambid and Abadeh districts. Having had an expansion in the cultivation of this medicinal plants, it is made possible to sign a contract with Zarband Pharmaceutical Company with the collaboration of this organization.”

He further noted, “One other effective action that has been taken to introduce and expand medicinal plant cultivation was the holding of more than 20 educational workshops in different districts, provision and follow-up on the subsidies and the giving of support by increasing the organic materials in the soil.”

Ghasemi also said, “According to the market and the cultivation conditions, those interested in the expansion of medicinal plants’ cultivation have been introduced to companies like Barij Essence, Giahan Sabz Zendegi, Kesht va Sanat Kazeroon, Tavoni 110 Noorabad, etc. This has caused 700 hectares increase of  Rosa damascena cultivation land in 2014 comparing with 2013, and some of the activities are as follows; provision of 50 thousand subsidized saplings, the origin of six thousand of which, were tissue culture, provision of ex gratia facilities in 2013, taken from special support program, in order to extend the cultivation of Rosa damascena.“

Head of Fars province Agricultural Jihad Organization further added, “Among other activities taken place we can name; the follow-up on the provision of the saffron bulbs from the inside or out of this province and necessary for the producers, the increase of the cultivation land from 480 hectares in 2013 to 530 hectares in 2014 and the implementation of programs and educational -technical workshops.”

“In respect to the increase in the medicinal plants cultivation, considering the climate and the limitations of water resources of this province, this organization’s priorities are to have periodic cultivation of greenhouse cultivation expansion, and to provide facilities to farmers and investors of greenhouse complexes.” Ghassemi concluded.