‘Goa is one of the hot spots for bio-diversity’ Sandu Pharmaceuticals is among the very few ayurvedic pharma companies operational in Goa. Umesh Sandu, Executive Director, Sandu Pharmaceuticals, explains why Goa is a preferred destination for them, in an interview with Sachin Jagdale Which are the other ayurveda related activities you are dealing with in Goa? Apart from our manufacturing and marketing activities we are also involved in many ayurveda related activities. We are involved in contract farming whereby farmers and poor people are encouraged to grow medicinal plants and our company assures a ready buy back for the medicinal plants grown. Similarly, we are also involved in educating and facilitating the tribals and people who stay near the forest area whereby they do not go for tree cutting but we teach them the use and how to go ahead with the growing and cultivation of medicinal plants as a alternate form of livelyhood. We are running a joint programme with the local state Government where-
by we are providing free service to poor and needy people at the Panchayat office whereby the people do not have to travel to long distances to see a doctor and we also make available at cheaper prices. What are your future plans for Goa facility? We are in the process of enhancing our production capacity by minimum 200 per cent. Moreover, we are increasing the product categories and adding external preparations and tablets to the existing range of product categories. We want to create a world class facility for testing of RM and finished goods. Process is on to acquire a WHO Certification for our existing manufacturing facility. sachin.jagdale@expressindia.com
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There are no big ayurvedic companies in Goa. Why? I agree. there is a dearth of big ayurvedic companies in Goa. The reason being that there are not many industrial estates due to paucity of land in Goa, as a result the state govt has faultered by not going after ayurvedic companies. In fact ayurvedic companies generate more employment as ayurvedic industry is more labour intensive as compared to other types of pharma companies. Goa is blessed with many medicinal plants. Don't you think that Goa is perhaps the most appropriate place to be at for ayurvedic companies? Yes, very true. In fact Goa is one of the hot spots for bio-diversity. It is a home to a lot of rare medicinal plants. The Western ghat bio diversity project realises the importance of Goa being at a very crucial and critical stage. Even now the state Government can work towards popularising ayurveda and bio technology projects in the state. Which are the current product categories that you manufacture at Goa? There are different varieties of product categories that we deal with. To name a few, asav arishtha kadha, syrup, tab / gutika, powder/ churnas, aveleha, oils are some of the product categories that we manufacture at our facility in Goa. September 16-30, 2012
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