Medicinal herb prices go up

Dwindling herb supplies are driving up prices of traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese Industrial Reseach Net reported (in Chinese) citing the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy (CATCMP). The prices of 262 frequently used herbs among 500 of the key herbs rose 28.77% in the first half year. With the rapid increase in agricultural product prices last year, many herb farmers switched to planting agricultural products, said CATCMP. Lack of guiding information on demand and supply for farmers to choose the right herbs to plant and the huge consumption of wild herbs also drove prices herbs up, it added.