The Booming Chinese Medicine Industry

T hough a vast area,Shennongjia has very little arable land.Professor Liu Shengxiang from the School of life Sciences at Central China Normal University pointed out that Shennongjia needed to consider its environmental capacity and seek out its own path for developing its traditional Chinese medicine.In addition, the local government should focus on developing its forest industry,rather than pursuing the development of so-called big industry or large-scale development.

Herbal medicine cultivation here is developing rapidly now, and medicinal materials are planted in accordance with the features of different regions.The 14 main varieties include radix Bupleuri,eucommia ulmoides, radix aconiti, gastrodia elata,Polyporus,atractylodes,heracleum,cortex phellodendri, codonopsis pilosula, and rhizoma coptidis.Xinhua Town enjoys the reputation of“the Township of Eucommia ulmoides,”mainly because of its large production.Most of rhizoma coptidis are planted in Xiaguping Township,earning it the name “the Township of Rhizoma Coptidis.”

The planting of Chinese medicinal herbs in Shennongjia has been well developed for many years.According to statistics,the whole district has planted 18463.3 mu of Chinese medicinal herbs and built 5000 mu of Chinese medicine farming model bases.There are 23 specialized cooperatives, as well as purchasing stations with over 1300 planters.Therefore a sound business model of“company,production base,family planter,cooperative”of Chinese medicinal herbs planting is forming.

There are more than 20 varieties of genuine medicinal materials in Shennongjia,one of the largest varieties of genuine medicinal materials production regions in China.All the villages in Xinhua Town,Xiaguping Town,Hongping Town,and Dajiuhu Town are engaged in the cultivation of medicinal materials,and the last two towns were main producing areas of heracleum, angelica sinensis, and codonopsis pilosula, with annual output of 600 to 800 tons.On this basis, Chinese medicinal materials and medicine extracts are exported to Japan,South Korea and other countries,including more than 200 tons exports of radix bupleuri,magnolia officinalis,codonopsis pilosula,flos farfarae, honey, and apple polyphenols,earning over 5 million dollars in total.

Juneng Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.was the first manufacturer producing Chinese medicine in Shennongjia.The company has planted around 3,000 mu of medicinal materials and purchases more than 200 tons of Chinese medicinal materials annually.It can produce more than 200 kinds of Chinese medicinal products,as well as many plant extracts,and dietary Chinese herbs such as gastrodia elata, astragalus, and angelica sinensis.Its Chinese medicinal products sell well and are exported to many markets,including the United States.

Recently,the government of Shennongjia Forestry District has cooperated with the Hubei University of Chinese Medicine in establishing the Shennongjia Research Institute of Chinese Medicine in order to provide scientific and technological support for local development of Chinese medicine.

中药材产业方兴未艾

神农架耕地面积稀少，林地广阔。针对这一地域特点，华中师范大学生命科学学院教授刘胜祥指出，神农架发展中医药产业需要考虑其整体的环境承载力，走一条独特的发展之路。林区党委政府也因地制宜，不搞大产业也不搞大开发，顺势而为，推动林下产业发展。

目前，林区栽培药物产业快速发展，按各区域特点选种合适的中药材，品种主要是柴胡、杜仲、川乌、天麻、猪苓、苍术、独活、黄柏、党参、黄连等14个品种。杜仲以新华镇为最多，有“杜仲之乡”之称。黄连种植以下谷坪乡为主，有“黄连之乡”之称。

经多年发展，林区中药材种植已初具规模，据不完全统计，全区中药材种植总面积为18463.3亩，建成中药材种植示范基地5000亩。全区设立23个中药材专业合作社和收购站（点），有1300多户药材种植户。“公司+基地+农户+协会”的中药材种植经营模式正在形成。

常用大宗中药材中，神农架拥有道地药材品种20多种，是全国道地药材品种最多的区域之一。新华镇、下谷坪乡、红坪镇、大九湖镇都是全区药材种植之乡，后二者一度是党参、当归、独活的主产地，年产党参、当归、独活达600至800吨。在此基础上，中药材及中药提取物出口日本、韩国等多个国家，年出口柴胡、厚朴、独活、冬花、蜂蜜、苹果多酚等200多吨，创汇500多万美元。

神农架林区第一家中药材生产企业——聚能药业公司，种植药材近3000亩，年收购中药材200多种,超200吨，可加工生产200多种中药饮片产品以及多种植物提取物，生产天麻、黄芪、当归等药食两用产品。中药材产品畅销，还出口至美国。

近来，神农架林区党委政府与湖北中医药大学合作，成立神农架中药产业研究院，为林区中药产业发展提供科技支持。

湿地花香Grasses flower in the wetlands of Dajiu Lake