Miracle plant:‘Country can earn billions by cultivating moringa’

Experts say due to its medicinal properties, demand for tropical plant has increased worldwide

FAISALABAD: Pakistan can earn billions of dollars by promoting the cultivation of moringa, said Dr Shahzad Ahmad Basra, who teaches at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.

Talking to the APP he said that Moringa, a tropical plant, has gained popularity as a new superfood because of its highly nutritious profile including its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other protective properties.

Due to its medicinal properties, the demand for the tropical plant has increased worldwide, he said. India has cashed in on this by leading export of the plant. Currently, India is earning $3 billion per annum from exporting moringa related products, Basra informed. Pakistan can also follow in their footsteps as our local land and climate are ideal, he said.

Qamar Yusuf at the Ayub Agriculture Research Institute revealed that moringa, popularly known as ‘suhanjana’, was plant native to Pakistan, India and Nepal.

Laboratory tests show that the plant contains 14% more calcium than milk. Similarly, it contains 2% more protein than yogurt, 4% more vitamin A than carrots, 7% more vitamin C than oranges and 3% more potassium than bananas, he informed.

It is the only plant that is rich in all five of these compounds which are vital for human health. Furthermore, the oil extracted from its seeds is edible and is comparable to olive oil in terms of quality, said Yusuf.

Nutritionist Zuhair Shujah said that every part of the moringa plant is edible. Its fruit is shaped like a pod and is used as a vegetable, while its roots are similar to a radish and can be pickled. They leaves are used to make syrup and ketchup, he added.

In past centuries, the plant was used to treat various nutritional deficiencies. One spoon of powdered moringa leaves can fulfil an individual’s daily nutritional needs. As for its medicinal value, the plant is recommended for treating joint pain, blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol and various other diseases, he informed.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2018.