Amid challenges posed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, India can become a manufacturing hub for the world market through Ayurveda, according to Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH.

Addressing a webinar 'Manufacturing Excellence in AYUSH' organized by FICCI, Vaidya Kotecha said the world's growing fascination towards Ayurveda, traditional and alternative medicine is a huge opportunity for Indian manufacturers to dominate the market. “This opportunity can provide a substantial source of income for farmers and companies across the country.”

He emphasized on the need for a behavioural change in people towards immunity-enhancing steps and highlighted the evidence that has established the positive role of traditional medicines and practices in boosting immunity.

Referring to AYUSH’s effectiveness in mitigating the viral infection, Kotecha said, "We collaborated with the Delhi Police and other front-line warriors, where we provided an Ayuraksha Kit and observed the incidence of Covid came down to four times in the span of two months with a mortality rate of 0.47."

He further stated that for an efficient supply chain management in the plantation of medicinal plants, the Ministry is ready to launch Mission Vrikshayush and that a 4000-crore scheme of herbal cultivation has been shared in the cabinet.

Speaking on Govt's perspective on manufacturing excellence, Kotecha pointed out that the Ministry of AYUSH and MSME Ministry have signed an MoU to give impetus to the Ayush sector where all schemes of the MSME industry will be applicable for the Ayush sector.

He further mentioned that the Govt is working with FSSAI to create a separate category of Ayurvedic Ahaar and working towards launching a portal for drug regulation.

Dr Manoj Nesari, Adviser, Ministry of AYUSH, & Adviser, FICCI AYUSH Committee, said, as a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, there is a tremendous scope in manufacturing and cultivation of medicinal plants for the herbal sector. The herbal market has tremendous growth potential and is expected to grow by 129 thousand million by 2023. He further added that quality is critical for global market registration and there is a need to develop herbal monographs that will provide a boost to the industry and facilitate export.

Shyam Bang, Chair, FICCI Manufacturing Excellence Taskforce, Chairman, NABCB, Quality Council of India and Director at Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd, said, to be competitive in the global market, the industry must take steps that will lead to global excellence.

"To achieve excellence, the management concepts must be changed to define parameters of excellence. The processes industry must adopt are innovation, quality system, supply chain, visual management and orderliness, these processes will yield productivity, cost, and morale," he said.

Dr Sulaiman CT, Senior Scientist & Head, Phytochemistry Division, Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal, said a major issue faced by the Ayurvedic industry is non-availability of genuine herbs in required quantities leading to adulteration and unauthorized institution that affects quality of medicines adversely. He further mentioned that despite efforts by the authorities to promote medicinal plants cultivation, the problem of raw material scarcity leading to adulteration remains a concern to the industry.