Scientists of Toraighyrov University together with LLP “StroyBioResurs” began to grow medicinal plants in the Zhelezinsky district of Pavlodar region.

On the dad ay before,  candidate of biological sciences, associated professor Viktor Kamkin with the students had field experience on the cultivation of Ural liquorice.  The second stage of the experiment will be in the spring.

Scientists emphasize that the collecting of liquorice root and other medicinal plants is carried out in the region in illegal way.  Such spontaneous harvesting does not take into account the peculiarities of plants and does not allow natural populations to restore their resources.

This project will allow organizing the ecological cultivation of medicinal plants while preserving their natural populations.

- The most promising plant for plantation cultivation is Ural liquorice.  Chinese medicine regards liquorice as the main medicinal plant along with ginseng.  A kilogram of root through the Internet is bought at 1600 tenge.  We propose to legalize it, - the expert notes.

Experts started researching medicinal plants in 2007.  The floodplain of the Irtysh River, the Bayanaul National Park and the Ertis Ormany reserve have been studied in detail; it has been recorded that 194 species of medicinal plants grow in the wild in our region.  Experiments on growing medicinal plants have shown their excellent survivability and unpretentiousness.

- The current state of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan can be called critical, due to the fact that the country does not cover 15% of its consumption with its own medicines.  Whereas to ensure the national security of the state, the share of domestic drugs should be at least 30%, - Viktor Kamkin adds.

 At the moment, the only possible source of raw materials for Kazakhstan pharmaceutical companies is export supplies from the near (RF, Altai Territory) and far (DPRK) abroad.

Each region of Kazakhstan has medicinal plants in its flora, but the potential of medicinal plant growing is determined, first of all, by the ecological purity of the cultivation region, and secondly - by biological diversity at the species and landscape levels.  From this point of view, Zhelezinsky district of Pavlodar region has a huge potential for medicinal plant growing.