Chiraito herb hits all-time high of Rs1,000 per kg

Tibet used to be the largest buyer of the plant; but after China closed the border, traders turned their attention to India.

The price of chiraito, a medicinal herb prized by the pharmaceutical industry, has hit an all-time high of Rs1,000 per kg on soaring demand in India. The plant (Swertia chirayita) grows wild in the forests of the Himalayan foothills, and is also cultivated.