80 Common Chinese Herbal Cultivation - Second Edition

Author: Zhou Chengming (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not Available
Features: In the 1980s, a trend of applying natural plant medicines emerged internationally. China, with its vast territory and abundant resources, boasts a rich plant medicine heritage, with over 5,000 years of history in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and herbal medicine, and over 2,000 years of artificial cultivation history. It is a major producer and exporter of plant medicines. According to incomplete statistics, China's annual (licorice) usage reaches 140,000 tons, while the annual export volume of local herbs like (coix seed), (Codonopsis), and (Angelica sinensis) exceeds 100 tons each. The global plant medicine market generates $14 billion in revenue. Therefore, the world plant medicine market is a highly promising market. The author graduated from Jilin Agricultural University's College of Medicinal Plant Cultivation in 1985 and later enrolled in the postgraduate program at China Agricultural University to continue research on TCM cultivation techniques and natural medicines. In 1988, he worked at the China National Pharmaceutical Research and Development Center under the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, visiting several pharmaceutical research institutions in the U.S., including the National Institutes of Health. In 1993, he established the Beijing Daxing Shizhen TCM Technology Research Institute, dedicating himself to researching folk medicines and TCM cultivation techniques. He completed research on dozens of TCM cultivation techniques and established over 50 medicinal material production bases nationwide. After more than a decade of learning, research, and development, he has accumulated some experience, which he now shares with friends interested in planting medicinal herbs.
Before planting medicinal herbs, it is essential to conduct thorough research on the market demand, cultivation difficulty, and your own financial, land, and human resources. Consult with relevant experts or visit nearby medicinal herb markets and companies. Second, choose the medicinal herb varieties based on local conditions. Determine the planting area according to your land, climate, and human and material resources. Do not forcibly introduce herb varieties unsuitable for the local climate—preferably with expert guidance. Planting medicinal herbs offers high profits but also high risks. Development must be steady. Third, select high-quality seeds and seedlings. Always obtain seeds and seedlings from professional research institutions or experts for evaluation. Choosing the right seeds and seedlings is half the success. Fourth, master the cultivation techniques. After transitioning from wild to cultivated growth, medicinal herbs are weak during the seedling stage. Before they fully cover the ground, intensive field management is necessary to control pests, diseases, and weeds. Completely discard the outdated idea of planting herbs without proper management. Fifth, focus on the harvesting and processing stages. After painstaking cultivation, medicinal herbs must be harvested and processed with precision. At the same time, closely monitor market trends to avoid overstocking at high prices or selling off at low prices. Instead, sell actively based on market conditions. If these five points are followed, planting medicinal herbs will surely be successful.