 Market
Update on Select Herbs
Ginseng
(Panax ginseng):
The price
for Panax ginseng varies widely, depending on the source
and quality. Prices for Chinese ginseng are generally the lowest,
ranging from $26 to 40/kg. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
is currently selling for roughly $40/kg. Korean ginseng consistently
brings the highest prices, ranging from $66 to 88/kg.
Gotu
kola
(Centella asiatica):
Most of
the gotu kola on the market is of very poor quality. In fact,
it is consistently referred to as a "dirty herb" because
it is so difficult to find an uncontaminated source. (In India,
gotu kola is commonly harvested from ditches that are contaminated
with heavy metals, pollutants, and other harmful chemicals.)
Prices for this herb range from $2 to 4 /kg. Buyers often resort
to testing tons of samples before finding one that passes their
purity standards; others have stopped buying gotu kola altogether.
This plant represents an opportunity for the production of clean
material.
Hibiscus
(Hibiscus sabdariffa):
Conventionally
grown hibiscus currently ranges in price from $1 to 4 per kg,
but most buyers will not pay more than $2.40 per kg. One source
quoted a price of up to $12/kg for certified organic hibiscus,
but we are skeptical.
Pygeum
(Prunus africana):
None of
our sources reported buying pygeum.
Rooibos
(Aspalathus linearis):
The price
range for rooibos is currently $2 to 4/kg.
St.
John’s wort
(Hypericum perforatum):
Due to
massive overproduction, St. John’s wort is not faring any better
than echinacea on the worldwide market. Maximum price is $2
to 6/kg, depending on hypericin content, but most of our sources
claimed that the price is well below $2/kg for conventionally
grown St. John’s wort. Even certified organic crops command
only $6 to 8/kg, which is startlingly close to the price of
conventional crops just one year ago. Last summer, Chilean farmers
chose to burn their crops in the field, rather than to harvest
for such low prices.
Valerian
(Valeriana officinalis):
Valerian
ranges in price from $2.5 to 10/kg, depending on the origin
and quality. The highest prices are for certified organic material.
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