Raw Drug Trade Record of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Foothills of North-Western Himalayas

Trade of medicinal and aromatic plant species (MAPs) is age old practice throughout the world to increase household income. Over harvesting decreased their populations and a number of species became threatened in natural habitat. Survey was conducted on trade of important MAPs from wild in Jammu and Srinagar districts of J&K State, India. Information was collected on MAPs, by directly interviewing the people involved in the trade of medicinal and aromatic plants in mandis of two districts. Trade record was also collected from LOC at two locations I,e. Poonch and Uri. Even after ban on commercial exploitation of some MAPs, trade continued through illegal ways. The highest trade was recorded for Curcuma longa, Punica granatum, followed by Phyllanthus emblica in Jammu district. But in Srinagar it was found that Phoenix dactylifera, Lawsonia inermis and Rauwolfia serpentina recorded maximum trade. In this paper we have given the present status of herbal medicines, their quantity, per kg cost & part traded.