Medicinal Isatis indigotica (woad) seed price per jin, plus investment per mu and cultivation techniques
Isatis indigotica (indigo root, blue indigo root, Isatis root) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried root of the cruciferous plant Isatis indigotica (woad), usually dug up in autumn and processed before use as medicine. It is produced throughout China. So how much do its seeds cost per jin? Roughly how much is the investment per mu? What are the cultivation techniques? According to Mr. Tong of a planting cooperative in Luyi County, seed prices differ with quality, generally 20-50 yuan/kg, with the local seed market price as the final reference.
Roughly how much is the investment per mu for Isatis indigotica seeds?
The investment in Isatis indigotica is mainly land rent, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, seedlings and labor costs. Planting one mu of Isatis indigotica requires 1.5-2 kg; the land rent depends on the local price; seedlings cost about 900 yuan per mu; the harvest in the same year can recover the fertilizer cost. Picking fresh fruit costs 2 yuan per jin, and the full fruiting period begins in the fourth or fifth year. It sells in large volumes on the national Chinese medicinal herb market. Annual demand: about 30,000 tons. Yield per mu: generally about 200 kg of dried product per mu.
What are the cultivation techniques for Isatis indigotica?
1. Isatis indigotica harvested in the same year for its roots does not set seed. When harvesting the roots in late October, select robust, disease-free root strips and transplant them at a row spacing of 50 cm x 25 cm into fertile seed-production fields; water promptly after planting and strengthen management.
2. In May-June of the second year, after the seeds mature in sequence, harvest them, clean them, sort the grains, and store them in a ventilated, dry place for later use. Sowing can be done in spring or summer, with basically the same method. Spring sowing is in early April, summer sowing in late May. First draw shallow furrows about 2-3 cm deep on the surface at a row spacing of 25 cm. Sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with 2-3 cm of soil, and press down lightly. The sowing rate is 1.5-2 kg per 667 sq m. When the seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, thin them in time, then set the plants at a spacing of 5-7 cm while weeding and loosening the soil. After setting the plants, apply appropriate topdressing and irrigation according to seedling growth; generally from late May to early June, apply 7.5 kg of urea and 7.515 kg of diammonium phosphate per 667 sq m, mix and apply between the rows. Where conditions permit, 40-50 kg of cake fertilizer can also be applied per 667 sq m; in southern regions, 400-450 kg of human urine is often applied. Where growth is good, leaves can be harvested twice, in late June and mid-to-late August; after picking leaves, apply topdressing and water at once to promote leaf growth, then finish.
Appendix: latest prices of Isatis indigotica
Unspecified grade Longxi County, Gansu ￥10.50
Unspecified grade Minle County, Gansu ￥9.80
Unspecified grade Shangzhou District, Shaanxi ￥11.50
Unspecified grade Yuanyang County, Henan ￥11.50
Unspecified grade Luoning County, Henan ￥11.50