The Challenges…

Pressure on Supply of Natural Raw Materials

• There is a growing worldwide demand for natural medicines
• Agricultural land is under threat from expanding industrialization and urbanization
• There are comparatively few conservation or sustainable cultivation programmes
• Existing plantations often have limited room for expansion
• Independent farmers are not equipped for planned output forecasting
• Long harvest cycles make it hard to predict volume and price
• Harvests (both quantity and quality) are dependent on weather conditions
• Price volatility from supply and demand mismatch
• Sudden demand for a specific herb due to media publicity often leads to scarcity and associated issues

Pressure on Quality of Natural Raw Materials

• Soil and water contamination prone to encroachment of industrialisation
• Increased presence of pesticides and herbicides from intensive farming
• Cultivation in different locations changes chemical profile of natural substance
• If natural materials are gathered from multiple sources there is a higher chances of adulteration with sub-species and other variants