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Friday, January 24, 2014

Profile of Sheikh GULZAAR : Specializes in producing fruits and medicinal plants. Annual production 50 thousand plants



Bot. Sheikh Gulzaar

Main Markets : The institution mainly supplies its products to Mumbai,Delhi and Banglore.They also export Taxus bacatta ,Viola odorata , Bixa orellana fruit and medicinal seeds to North America. “ We exported Ginkgo biloba to Pakistan and are also planning to export to Gulf countries next year,” says Sheikh Gulzaar, adding, “ Our  medicinal seed production capacity is 200-500 kg per year.”

Manpower : There are two technicians with high school qualification working in the production of plants. We have two plant introduction centers, one in Ramban and one in Kishtwar ,managed by M.Sc biotechnology with 5 regular employees, maintains Sheikh Gulzaar.


Milestones: The institution plans to do large scale production of fruit and medicinal plants at Pampore in the future.``We have also introduced this year ready –to-use medicinal plants alongwith fruit plants,” says Sheikh Gulzaar. He is wellknown botanist  and has 21+ years experience and research & development  in medicinal plants and is interested to meet the expectations and needs of the nation. Not only the said The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre is working in the country but throughout the world its research is going on. Sheikh Gulzaar has spent most of his life on Himalayan mountains, footsteps and river banks while he was travelling for the project.


Head and botanist Sheikh Gulzaar said that Medicinal plants are having a good demand not only in the country but abroad also. “Buy cultivating such plants the institution has till date provided such plants to about 34 thousand research institutions, individuals”. This way it has helped the researchers but has provided such plants to them time to time. “Institution has earned a good fame in the country as well as has given training to so many unemployed and educated youth of the country hence in this way they are able to earn their livelihood”. He said.


Jammu & Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre proudly announce its affiliation with Organic Farming Association of India, Jammu & Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre is the first institution from J&K to get recognized and listed in Biology for NEET & Other Medical Entrance Examinations 3rd Edition.
See systematic : P/No. 37..List of Botanical Gardens in India



The institution has received about 7,880 applications since 1994 for giving full descriptions regarding such plants as well as identity, birth, botanical information and family structure of such plants and its benefits as well as “we have been given letter of originty, Phytosanitary information & letter of authenticity , with the result such fellows have been absolutely helped in carrying  over their research forward”. Sheikh Gulzaar  added.

As we know, Kashmir is one of the cold region of Himalaya and the season of valley is not trustworthy here remains, cold temperature, snowfall with the result the public  are suffering and every year huge losses  are being faced by us as well as research job is also being  affected, “Due to non-availability of high-tech green houses, so many valuable plants dies due to extensive heat or cold and we requested so many  times to Government  to provide us  proper place near high altitude so that we may be  able to cultivate other countries medicinal , wild flowers and fruit plants here also”  he added.

 “I have also secured hundreds of seeds from Europe, Middle East and Africa and have planted them in different areas and have obtained seeds from them as well as medicines, but it is difficult as the said seeds are only being sowing in such areas where the atmosphere will be neat and clean. Said Sheikh Gulzaar 



Sheikh Gulzaar further added that Government of Jammu and Kashmir is not helping us. “Till date government of Jammu and Kashmir has not helped us in any way, we have got on lab or other high-tech facilities so that our job will become easy”,


Research institutions, Universities and organizations should identify the problems of our agriculture; we lack the speed in all situations.


He further added that we are dependent upon organic fertilizers i.e. biomass, peat, manure plant leaves, tree barks but to obtain such items “we have to work hard as such the public is not hesitating to purchase our seeds and our target remains always upon such medicinal plants which is having demand in the market for ever”.


“Threat is not the availability of the fertile land but current tendency to go away from agriculture and converting the land for other proposes. He said “Lack of direct access to market place, involvement of the middle man and lack of man power due to the younger generation choosing other professions for better marginal & small farmers.” He said

To invest for upliftment of J&K “We have to make focus on Kashmir Himalaya for cultivating such plants to obtain medicines” which can be used for Cancer disease also and second main focus will be Food Technology as our country is presently facing heavy danger of Cancer and shortage of food.


A Medicinal Plant Conservation Area- The main aim of Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Cente's are to conserve the medicinal plants in its natural habitat and preserve its gene pool. JKMPIC is a stretch of natural vegetation having within it various types of habitat and microclimates. They are established in different biogeographic zones in co operation with the State Forest  Departments. JKMPIC  programme is a national effort, exclusively to study the medicinal plants in the natural habitats and to develop strategies for management of rare endangered and vulnerable species.(Writer-South Asia)