The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan has developed a program for growing ferula in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2024-2028. The ministry submitted the draft order of the Cabinet of Ministers on its approval for public discussion.
As the background statement says, the program is designed to preserve and ensure the restoration of natural reserves of ferula in the country, create its plantations through cultivation and stimulate processing of raw materials obtained from ferula and export of finished products.
The strategic objective of the program is cultivation of ferula with further development of value chains and ensuring competitiveness in foreign markets.
At present, there are no seed farms in the republic engaged in growing ferula, but 107 economic entities (farmers) in 12 villages cultivate it.
The program includes goals, main priority areas, tasks and key measures for implementation of the state policy aimed at growing ferula in Kyrgyzstan. It envisages measures to create seed farms, increase sown areas, gross production of ferula and its raw materials, sale (export) to foreign markets.
Growing of ferula will ensure high profitability, focus on export markets, and create new jobs.
Ferula is a perennial herbaceous plant with umbellate inflorescences. Its milky juice is used to treat many diseases. It is also used to make a spice called asafetida. It should be remembered that an overdose can lead to poisoning. In nature, Ferula assafoetida is widespread, from which mainly gum-resin is obtained. Collection of ferula resin in the Kyrgyz Republic is prohibited.
