Guwahati, Dec. 5: The project to plant medicinal and aromatic trees undertaken by the Assam State Medicinal Plants Board in 2009 is ready to bear fruit soon.

Financed by the National Medicinal Plants Board, the project is said to be the largest of its kind in the state.

Of the nine species, which were planted over 2,000 hectares in five districts, four are ready to be harvested. These four species include zedoary (curcuma zedoaria), long pepper (piper longum), rauwolfia serpentine and sugandh mantri (homalomena aromatica).

Additional principal chief conservator of forests (research, education and working plans) of Assam, R.P. Agarwalla, said, “Once the harvesting is over, the materials will be peeled, sliced and dried. In case of gandh kachu, oil will also be extracted. The materials procured will be packed and the samples will be sent to the interested companies.”

The state medicinal plant board will hand over the samples to the companies for them to assess the active element content. Prices of the products will be fixed on the basis of its quality.

Companies such as Charak Pharma Private Limited of Baroda, Dabur India Limited of Hardwar and traders from Calcutta and Kanpur are expected to collect the samples from the board.

The project would also to generate employment at the village level. “One of our aims is to assess the market demand for medicinal and aromatic plants. It will then help us produce the raw materials accordingly,” Agarwalla said.

The board had approved a Rs 7,77.73-lakh project for “conservation, development and sustainable management of medicinal plants” in 2009 in Kamrup (rural), Nagaon, Chirang, Dibrugarh and Cachar.