AHPA Conducts Fifth Tonnage Survey

SILVER SPRING, Md.The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) published its fifth report quantifying annual harvests of selected North American botanical plants.

" Tonnage Surveys of Select North American Wild-Harvested Plants, 2006-2010 " includes quantifications of harvests from 2006 to 2010 for 26 botanical commodities derived from 22 plant species, including a number of high-volume herbal commodities.

The report includes data on both fresh and dried quantities of materials subject to harvest from wild (uncultivated) populations as well as cultivated materials, and features extensive charts and analysis. The data represent aggregate quantities of harvest data provided to AHPA by companies that serve as raw material suppliers to the trade.

Recognized as a vital index of native U.S. botanicals harvesting, the report includes a selection of data available in previous reports.

"The ongoing AHPA coverage of North American activities involving these important plants provides us with continuing insight into the sources of marketplace botanical commodities," said Steven Dentali, Ph.D., AHPA's chief science officer. "For example, we continue to see a significant, meaningful portion of goldenseal root and rhizome (Hydrastis canadensis) being harvested through cultivation rather than solely by wild harvesting practices."

AHPA intends to conduct the tonnage surveys biannually going forward, with the next two-year survey to cover the 2011 and 2012 harvest seasons.

"Tonnage Surveys of Select North American Wild-Harvested Plants, 2006-2010" is available to AHPA members at no charge. Non-members may purchase it for $35.  Tonnage surveys from 1999, 2000-2001, 2002-2003, and 2004-2005 are also available from the AHPA online bookstore.

Recently, attendees of APHA's first Botanical Congress received an update on herbal consumers at SupplySide MarketPlace in New York from Steve French, managing partner at the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI).