Herbs growing business basics
Today the cultivation of medicinal plants for commerce is quite a profitable and promising business. Herbs are of the most significant value to the pharmaceutical industry, which is constantly flourishing. Furthermore, with the growing demand for natural products, cosmetics and food industry manufacturers have an increasing need for medicinal herbs. Since the cultivation area for medicinal plants has recently decreased, there is a need for their targeted cultivation.
Before you start
This business has a significant advantage: you don’t necessarily need a large herb farm to make a good profit. Even if you cultivate medicinal plants on a small land area, it will surely bring in revenue. Nevertheless, it is worth bearing in mind that most plants need a significant amount of direct sunlight. And, of course, when selecting herbs for commerce, focus on those typical for your climate zone.
Choosing herbs
To begin with, you need to decide what exactly you will grow and sell. To do this, study the demand for different species beforehand, and ask potential contractors about the products they are interested in and the purchasing process. In general, the following medicinal plants have always been in demand: chamomile, calendula, mint, lemon balm, yarrow, thyme, oregano, valerian, frankincense, lavender, sage, juniper, verbena, eucalyptus, wormwood, tea tree, marjoram, fennel.
You can generate impressive income from selling plants such as Euphrasia, Potentilla alba, Chimaphila umbellata, Acorus calamus, Tilia cordata, Orchis maculata, Mountain arnica, Orthilia secunda, Centauréa cyánus, and Lycium Savory.
Mountain arnica
The TOP of the most expensive also includes mountain arnica. plant in the wild doesn’t grow, cultivated as an ornamental in flower beds and as a medicinal plant pharmacy gardens and farms. The active ingredient is found in the flowers, which plucked in late autumn. The price for 1 kg of finished raw materials reaches $100.
Orchis maculata
Dried tubers are used as an enveloping and emollient for
poisoning, colitis, gastritis. Sometimes tubers are recommended to weak patients as strengthening (in the same way it is used in folk medicine). Useful decoctions from orchis with ulcerative lesions of the stomach, with tuberculosis, pneumonia and other lung diseases.
The retail price of orchis starts from $20 per 1 oz , which makes
its one of the most profitable plants in terms of entrepreneurial
activities.
Lycium Savory
Another of the most expensive plants, widely used in the medical industry, plant. Also, like Arnica Mountain, doesn’t grow in the wild,
grown exclusively by breeders in nurseries. Active ingredients
are in the seeds. The price of seeds starts from $100 .
How to set up the business?
In the beginning, choose a few basic and popular herbs, and as you become experienced, expand the business with rare and expensive ones. In this niche, there are prospects for related production: in addition to collecting raw materials, consider grinding and packaging them, producing essential oils, tinctures, extracts, etc. The choice of equipment will directly depend on your area of specialization. For example, if you have decided to focus on plants with high content in essential oils, it will make sense to invest in oil extraction machinery eventually.
Harvesting rules
There are several basic rules to remember when growing and collecting herbs. First, choose a suitable area for cultivation, learn the harvest technology and be sure to do it on time. Properly dry and store the collected medicinal plants. Finally, always ensure that the raw material is fresh, unspoiled, and suitable for sale.
Nuances of the business
If you start small, we recommend choosing several similar species at once. There is no need to purchase expensive equipment in the beginning because even without it, the profitability of your business can reach 46% in the first years