Bilateral Collaboration of Iran and China in Medicinal Plants Production and Trade

A team of officials from China’s Medicinal Plants Association came to Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce and met with the adviser of China’s affairs to the Secretary General of Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce. In their talks with some of our country’s business developers in medicinal plants industry, they discussed the grounds for bilateral collaboration.

According to News Network of Medicinal Plants Education, referring to both countries high capacity in production and trade of medicinal plants, Fereydoun Verdinejad, adviser of China’s affairs to the Secretary General of Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce, said, “In Iran, medicinal plants are still traditionally processed, therefore, by the collaboration of both countries in this respect, the grounds for Iran’s industrialization of medicinal plants’ products and their manufacture can be prepared.”

Considering Iran’s suitable medicinal plants market, he added, “Although Iran produces varieties of unique medicinal plants, the trade between the two countries is limited to saffron and liquorice. However, by transference of knowledge and the how-to between the two countries, this market can be developed.”

Verdinejad further noted, “Taking into account both Iran and China’s high capacities in medicinal plants cultivation and production, Tehran’s Chamber of Commerce is prepared to support medicinal plants’  researchers and traders of both countries to develop and expand the markets of these products in Asia and even in the globe.”

He later proposed to establish a shared medicinal plants’ research center between technical institutions and organizations of the two countries.

In his speech, the head of China’s Medicinal Plants Association, the top official in this trade team who had come from China to Tehran, also evaluated the collaborative opportunity between the two countries in the field of medicinal plants as suitable and said, “Both countries’ active companies in this respect must be drawn closer.”

Referring to he and his trade team’s visit of Iran’s medicinal plants producing and commercial companies, Wang further expressed the willingness of China’s Medicinal Plants Association to welcome Iranian team in the coming months.

In this meeting, Hamidreza Managhebi, member of the management committee of Iran’s Medicinal Plants Export Union indicated that the export of Iran’s medicinal plants has not had the desired consistency, in the last couple of weeks, then said, “Currently, about 2000 items of medicinal plants is cultivated and produced in Iran.”

Stressing the need for the reconstruction of Iran’s medicinal plants’ export market, he noted, “Iran’s market is a suitable place for the selling of China’s processed medicinal plants, furthermore, the primary and the raw material can be sent from Iran to the Chinese producers and factories.”

Managhebi later noted that Iran’s Medicinal Plants Export Union is prepared to collaborate with China’s Medicinal Plants Union in order to compile a joint production and trade strategy between the two countries.