Asafoetida cultivation "EMPOWER IAS"

News:

• CSIR-IHBT (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology) in Himachal Pradesh taking up cultivation of asafoetida (Heeng) in Indian Himalayan region.

 

About Asafoetida:

• Ferula asafoetida is a herbaceous plant of the umbelliferae family. It is a perennial plant whose oleo gum resin is extracted from its thick roots and rhizome. The plant stores most of its nutrients inside its deep fleshy roots.
• Asafoetida is endemic to Iran and Afghanistan, the main global suppliers. It thrives in dry and cold desert conditions. While it is very popular in India, some European countries too use it for its medicinal properties.

 

Asafoetida cultivation in India:

• Heeng is not cultivated in India. Government data states that India imports about 1,200 tonnes of raw heeng worth Rs 600 crore from Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
• The first asafoetida sapling, grown at IHBT’s Centre for High Altitude Biology, was planted in Kwaring village of Lahaul valley recently.
• It is believed the geo-climatic conditions required for cultivation of certain heeng varieties are available in India. Asafoetida best grows in dry and cold conditions.
• The plant can withstand a maximum temperature between 35 and 40 degree, whereas during winters, it can survive in temperatures up to minus 4 degree. During extreme weather, the plant can get dormant.
• Regions with sandy soil, very little moisture and annual rainfall of not more than 200mm are considered conducive for heeng cultivation in India. Some initial experiments were conducted in high altitude districts of Mandi, Kinnaur, Kullu, Manali and Palampur in Himachal Pradesh. Besides, the researchers plan to expand their experiments to Ladakh and Uttarakhand.