What are the prospects for Isatis root cultivation? The latest analysis is here
Isatis root, also known as indigo root, blue indigo root and Daqing root, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried root of the cruciferous plant Isatis indigotica (woad), usually harvested in autumn and used as medicine after processing. It is produced throughout China. Let us now take a look at the cultivation benefits and cultivation prospects of Isatis root!
Isatis root cultivation conditions
Isatis root is highly adaptable to climate and soil conditions. It withstands severe cold and prefers warmth, but fears waterlogging. It can grow normally in the Yangtze River basin and the vast northern regions of China. The seeds germinate easily and sprout well within the range of 15C to 30C, with a germination rate generally above 80%. The seeds remain viable for 1 to 2 years.
The normal growth and development of Isatis root must go through a low-temperature winter stage before it can flower and set seed. For this reason, production practices make use of this characteristic by sowing in spring or summer, then harvesting the leaves and digging up the roots in the same year, with a growing period of 5 to 7 months. If cultivated according to the normal growth cycle, it is used only for seed production.
Isatis root cultivation benefits
Isatis root is a plant of the genus Isatis in the cruciferous family. Its root is used as medicine, and it is one of the commonly used bulk medicinal materials. In recent years, as social demand has continued to increase, the commercial price of Isatis root has risen steadily. At present, the medicinal materials market has already seen a situation of supply falling short of demand, and it has been recommended by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine as one of the 63 scarce Chinese medicinal materials for priority development. Therefore, the prospects for artificially cultivating Isatis root are very promising, and medicinal herb growers can develop production on an appropriate scale according to local conditions. Isatis root is suitable for cultivation throughout China, and can be sown in spring, summer and autumn. It takes only 6 to 7 months from sowing to harvest, and 2 successive crops can be grown in one year. It is a medicinal material variety with low cost and quick returns. Taking the cultivation of 1 mu of Isatis root as an example:
1. Input: seed usage 2 kg, seed cost 200 yuan, fertilizer (50 kg phosphate fertilizer, 20 kg compound fertilizer, 10 kg urea) 100 yuan, pesticides, herbicides, etc. 30 yuan, totaling 330 yuan.
2. Income: Isatis root yields 250 to 350 kg of tuberous roots in a normal year (it can reach more than 400 kg at high yields). The current market purchase price is 20 to 25 yuan/kg. Calculated at the lowest yield and price, the output value is 250 kg × 20 yuan/kg = 5000 yuan.
3. Net profit: 5000 yuan - 330 yuan = 4670 yuan.
Isatis root cultivation prospects
Isatis root is one of the commonly used bulk Chinese medicinal materials in China, with the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood and soothing the throat. Its antiviral effect is the most obvious, and it is a good medicine for preventing and treating epidemic diseases such as influenza, mumps, Japanese encephalitis and infectious hepatitis. Therefore, historically, whenever epidemics or diseases were discovered in various places, Isatis root was there. Since China's reform and opening up last century, the market of Isatis root has fluctuated greatly under the influence of various factors. For example, in 1987, when an outbreak of epidemic infectious hepatitis occurred in Shanghai, Isatis root soared from around 2 yuan (price per kg, the same below) before the incident to a high price of 22 yuan; the second time was in the spring of 2003 during “SARS”, when in Guangzhou, the city hit hardest by the epidemic, the price at its peak rose to more than one hundred yuan; the third time was in 2005, when avian influenza occurred in certain areas of China, and Isatis root was also the main ingredient in prescriptions. It is not hard to see that the glorious history of Isatis root is closely linked to sudden epidemics.
Because of the obvious antiviral effect of Isatis root, new products have been continuously launched in recent years, and sales of Isatis root have continued to increase. Annual sales of Isatis root (excluding the 2003 SARS period) have remained around 15,000 tons in recent years. Medicines that use Isatis root as the main raw material include: Isatis root granules, Isatis root injection, Isatis root syrup, Isatis root tablets, Isatis root lozenges, Isatis root tea, etc. Among them, Isatis root granules are well known to everyone. They are cheap, convenient to take, obviously effective and free of side effects. They are a good medicine for preventing colds in spring, autumn and early winter, and their sales are enormous.
The amount of Isatis root used in veterinary medicine is also very large. With the continuous development of China's livestock industry, various diseases in livestock occur frequently, such as the avian influenza that occurred this year. The antiviral effect of Isatis root is obvious, and its annual sales volume in veterinary use is also more than 2000 tons.
In addition, since 2004, Isatis root has seen large-scale abandonment or reduction of planting. There are mainly two reasons. First, under the influence of national preferential policies such as grain price increases and direct subsidies for grain growing, farmers have abandoned medicinal herbs to grow grain, and the area planted with medicinal herbs has decreased year by year. Second, when Isatis root was at its peak, the price was extremely high, but when the market collapsed, the price fell and was difficult to recover. Price changes are dramatic, sudden and prolonged. In addition, Isatis root easily changes color, loses oil and becomes infested with insects, making it very difficult to store for a long time. As a result, producers and operators miss the opportunity with every price fluctuation, and farmers in producing areas suffer the most.
In view of the above reasons, people in the medicinal materials industry predict that the prospects for developing Isatis root are broad. It is hoped that favorable opportunities will be seized and Isatis root cultivation will be developed according to GAP standards.