The state forest ministry is considering tying up with Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali in order to expand the market of herb products from the state’s forests.
The state forest ministry is considering tying up with Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali in order to expand the market of herb products from the state’s forests. State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Baba Ramdev will meet on Tuesday where the primary draft of partnership between Future Group and the forest department of the state will probably be discussed.
“We want to increase production for our ‘Van Dhan Jan Dhan’ scheme. A part of the goods is already being sold through retail shops. But, we do not want to let go of the chance to sell excessive products in a bulk quantity. Thus, we intend to sell these them as raw products to Baba Ramdev. He has given us a buy back quantity, which nobody else does,” Mr Mungantiwar said.
“For instance, honey and certain medicines derived exclusively from certain trees can be sold to Baba Ramdev since we have the capability to manufacture them in a large quantity but we do not currently have a market for it,” he added.
Mr Mungantiwar will hold a meet with Ramdev on Tuesday and discuss future tie-up possibilities in the regard. However, it is not yet decided whether state’s forest produce will sold under the Patanjali brand or not.
Meanwhile, the move has not gone down well with Congress. The party’s spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that products derived from forests are a national asset and that an intention to sell them to Ramdev is an indication that the government is returning the baba’s “pre-election favours.”
Mr Sawant alleged that if Ramdev were brought into the picture, tribals would be exploited to benefit people who helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi come to power. “Products derived from forests are a national asset and has immense potential. These products, if marketed properly, can fetch much better returns than what any baba can give,” he said.
Meanwhile, an official from the forest department said that the total area under forests in the state is 61,579 sq km and covers around 20 per cent of Maharashtra’s geographical area. “There are 5,250 plant species available in the state, out of which 2242 are known for their medicinal properties,” the official said.
