Will growing global demand outstrip supply in 5 years?
The New Paper 28 Jan 09;
BEFORE Viagra, there was Tongkat Ali.
But by 2014, man would have used up all the cultivated Tongkat Ali in the country, bringing an end to the best-selling herb in Malaysia, reported NST.
It is the most used herb in the country but unplanned commercial harvesting and increasing demand may force people to stop relying on it.
Datuk Dr Abdul Rashid Ab Malik, deputy director-general of Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), said the sustainable supply of Tongkat Ali is a huge concern that needs immediate attention.
He added: 'The Tongkat Ali plant takes five to seven years to mature. The sustainable supply of Tongkat Ali is about 100 tonnes a year from the government and the private sector.
'The government has 167ha of this plant and the private sector about 29ha, mainly in Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan.'
'The problem is that our future needs will be larger and we need bigger players to sustain the current demand.'
This should be an immediate concern to Malaysian men as Tongkat Ali has penetrated the Japanese market, bringing in about RM3.8 billion ($1.6 billion) a year.
'The Japanese demand is expected to increase and Tongkat Ali exports to Japan are expected to be worth RM8 billion next year.'
Even without the Japanese factor, there will be a shortage in four to five years as there are no big players who are continuously planting the tree that will be producing the herb, he said.
Dr Rashid knows because FRIM monitors the commercial planting of Tongkat Ali.
The price of this plant, he said, might also not be as affordable as it is now. 'When there are no more natural sources of Tongkat Ali, the price is going to go up.'
Increasing demand from other countries is also causing prices to skyrocket, said Dr Rashid.
'On a trip to the United States, I found Tongkat Ali products on the shelves. The extract is sent overseas and packaged there. In one store, our famous herb is called 'Long Jack'.
'Tongkat Ali has male enhancing properties, like a form of steroid, but is safe and natural.
Health products
'The most popular Tongkat Ali products in the market are health drinks, tablets and food supplements.
'But there's also a new demand for this herb in the fitness arena. The demand keeps increasing with every research and development study. It was recently found that Tongkat Ali is good for body-builders.'
Dr Rashid said a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that Tongkat Ali can increase muscle strength.
'There are so many uses for this herb, even in the medical line. Tongkat Ali is also shown to prevent lung and breast cancer.
'Tongkat Ali has properties similar to ginseng and red ginseng. Malaysia should take advantage of this, like the Koreans who are harvesting it commercially on a large scale.'
In the meantime, FRIM has been looking at ways of cultivating Tongkat Ali in the fastest and most cost-effective way possible.
'We have started using hairy root culture as an alternative way of growing Tongkat Ali. The controlled environment has proved to be very effective,' said Dr Rashid.
'We are now ready to move to the pre-commercial phase which will take two more years. By 2011, we hope to commercialise the hairy root production of this much-loved plant.'
