20000102

'Nadri' starts work

for seabuckthorn

medicinal uses

LAHORE: The National Agricultural Development and Research Institute (Nadri), Islamabad, has launched four projects on the utilisation of 'seabuckthorn', the exotic plant recently introduced in Pakistan.

"The institute is working on the utilisation of extracts from the plant for the preparation of medicines against angina (heart disease) and arthritis, for stopping of ageing among women besides developing a palatable juice", the Federal Food and Agriculture Secretary, Dr Zafar Altaf, told APP.

He said that some 35 nurseries of the plant had been developed at Nadri.

He said that the utilisation of the seabuckthorn is not something new in the world as about 150 factories are working in neighbouring China for manufacturing various products from this plant.

"This plant with tolerance to temperatures ranging between 40 degrees centigrade and -40 degrees centigrade (minus 40 c) can be raised over so far uncultivable lands in Northern Areas and Balochistan", he said.

Altaf said that Mongolia had a good experience of increasing vegetative cover by growing seabuckthorn plant.

He said that the plantation of the fast growing seabuckthorn in the Northern Areas could also arrest the problems of water-induced soil erosion and deforestation.

Referring to on-going dry spell, Altaf said that waters from 32 small dams like that of Khanpur should be utilised for irrigation purposes.

"Bamboo pipes can be used for taking the water from these dams to the fields", he said.ÑAPP