Fed: Farmers should grow medicinal herbs: report

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2000
Fed: Farmers should grow medicinal herbs: report

A report has found a worldwide trend towards vitamins and natural medicines may boost
Australia's export industry.

The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation says crops such as echinacea,
ginseng and St Johns wort are in demand -- especially in the US -- offering Australian
farmers new export opportunities.

Extracts from the plants are used in flavour and fragrance industries, as well as in
medicinal, pharmaceutical and insecticidal products.

Report author BRIAN CHUNG, of Botanical Resources Australia, says the extracts from
these plants are worth $3.9 billion each year in the United States alone.

He says United States use of herbal products had jumped from five per cent in 1991,
to 40 per cent in 1998.

Mr CHUNG says the trend towards herbal remedies is expected to continue, with total
world consumption expected to rise by up to four per cent in the next few years.

He says Australian conditions, particularly in Tasmania, are ripe for growing the herbs.

AAP RTV km/sb/jtb/jn

KEYWORD: HERBS (SYDNEY)

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