- Ashwagandha exports have increased by eightfold in the last six years, reaching countries such as the United States, Czech Republic, and Canada.
What is ashwagandha?
- Ashwagandha, also known as Indian Ginseng or Withania somnifera, is a member of the ‘adaptogens’ class of plants.
- It is accessible in a variety of forms, including extracts, powders, and raw herbs, serving both domestic and foreign markets.
Medicinal Properties and Usage:
- Used to treat rheumatic pain, joint inflammation, neurological diseases, and epilepsy.
- Used as a tonic for hiccups, colds, coughs, feminine diseases, as a sedative, in the treatment of senility, ulcers, and so on.
- Leaves are used to treat carbuncles, inflammation, and swellings. Leaf juice is effective for conjunctivitis.
- Bark decoction is used to treat asthma and administered locally to bed sores.
- Ashwagandha and its extracts are utilised in the production of herbal tea, powders, pills, and syrup.
Cultivation of Ashwagandha
- States that grow Ashwagandha include Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
- Ashwagandha, a tough and drought-tolerant crop, requires a rather dry season during its growth cycle.
- It is planted as a late rainy season (kharif) crop at altitudes ranging from 600 to 1200 metres.
- It grows well in sandy loam or light red soil with a pH of 7.5 to 8.0 (alkaloid) and good drainage.
- Black dirt or similarly thick soil is good for farming.
Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/exports-of-ashwagandha-rose-8-times-in-6-years-says-ministry-of-ayush/article68061397.ece