MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANTS:MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANTS:A CHALLENGE FOR THE FUTUREA CHALLENGE FOR THE FUTURE

IN AGRICULTUREIN AGRICULTURE

Prof. Roberto DELLA LOGGIAProf. Roberto DELLA LOGGIA

Preside Facoltà Farmacia Preside Facoltà Farmacia Università degli Studi di triesteUniversità degli Studi di trieste

Prof. Roberto DELLA LOGGIAProf. Roberto DELLA LOGGIA

Preside Facoltà Farmacia Preside Facoltà Farmacia Università degli Studi di triesteUniversità degli Studi di trieste

Trieste, 2 / 4 / 2011

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants: a Challenge for the Future in Agriculture

Roberto Della LoggiaFaculty of Pharmacy

Trieste, Italy

Agriculture for the Youth’s Future

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants in the WordMedicinal & Aromatic Plants in the Word

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are an important part of the international trading

Global herbal market is around $ 70.5 billion with an average annual growth of 10-12% p.a.

• European Union 45% $ 32.0 billion• Rest of Europe 4% $ 2.8 billion• Asia 19% $ 12.2 billion• North America 10% $ 7.8 billion• Others 7% $ 4.6 billion

(Handa, 2011)

The World Bank estimated global trade in MAPs and products at US$ 5 trillion by 2050 AD.

Consequently, MAPs are seen as an interesting possibility

for the agriculture in developing countries(and not only)

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants productionMedicinal & Aromatic Plants production

However, in many cases the hopes are disappointed.

Fields are implanted with medicinal plants, a product is obtained and the harvest is good …but the commercial value of the obtained crop is too low.

Actually, in order to be profit-bearing the production of MAPs requires

some specialization, different form that necessary for food crops.

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants productionMedicinal & Aromatic Plants production

In food production, the main problem is the produced amount.

The medicinal properties of the plants are due to fine chemicals they contain: the active principles

The concentration of active principles may show high variabilityand the agricultural practices may strongly influence the final content.

The value of Medicinal plants is related to the presence of fine chemicals they contain

OH

MAPs production: the questionsMAPs production: the questions

The first step: what plant to cultivate?A correct choice requires a market survey to answer the questions:• Are there a demand on the market for this plant?

it is useless to produce something if nobody is interested in!

• Which is the market price of this plant?• Am I able to produce it at convenient costs?

it is useless to produce at higher prices: nobody will buy!

• Am I able to produce it with the required quality?

MAPs production: the quality problemMAPs production: the quality problem

To fit with the quality requirement of the international MAPs marketmany parameters have to be considered:

• active principles concentration

• microbial contamination

• pesticide levels

• aflatoxins contamination

• and many others

MAPs production: not only raw drugsMAPs production: not only raw drugs

The market price of semiprocessed products is much more interestingthan that of the starting material.

Essential oils Essential oils and extractsextracts has an important added value with respect to the starting crude drug.

Coupling this kind of manufacturing with the crop productioncan be of high economical interest

MAPs: a challenge for young peopleMAPs: a challenge for young people

However, all these things require a new generation of farmerswith good professional education and training,higher than that of the conventional farmer

Therefore, the cultivation of MAPs represents an important opportunity for young people that is willing to learn and to produce with modern methods.Good luck withGood luck with

medicinal & aromaticmedicinal & aromaticplantsplants