HERBAL INDUSTRY TO GROW 15 PCT ANNUALLY

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- The herbal industry is expected to grow
15 per cent annually, with the market value rising from RM7 billion (US$2.33
billion) in 2010 to RM29 billion (US$9.66 billion) in 2020, Minister in the
Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Thursday.

"Malaysia stands to gain from the strong growth in natural herbal products.
The shift in healthcare towards natural products with therapeutic value,
provides vast opportunities for Malaysia to become a significant global player,
given our rich biodiversity," he added.

He said the government is committed to making Malaysia a regional hub for
the herbal cluster by 2020, through greater promotional efforts to local and
international herbal and biotechnology industry players.

He also said Malaysia is home to some 100 species of ferns, 12,500 species
of flowering plants and 185,00 species of fauna, of which about 1,200 have
potential pharmaceutical value.

"Given this potential, Malaysia must strive to gain a foothold in the
global herbal market.

"We need to strengthen domestic demand for Malaysian health foods and
medicine, in order to increase domestic consumption, and at the same time reduce
reliance on imported medicine," he added.

Nor Mohamed said Malaysian products must have the highest standard of
manufacturing and be able to compete in terms of quality, pricing and branding
as well as meet international health certification standards.

"Industry players must seize the opportunities available in the
upstream, midstream and downstream activities at the East Coast Economic
Region's herbal plantation and take advantage of incentives offered by the
government," he added.