The analysis of challenges and strategies of marketing of medicinal plants based on farmers’ perspective in Mazandaran province

Medicinal plants not only have economic advantages but also can improve social health. In spite of developing the plantation of medical plants throughout Mazandaran province, one of the main challenges of that the farmers are faced is the marketing of their products. Present study aimed to analyze marketing of medical plants products, and to present appropriate marketing strategies based on farmers’ views. Statistical population included the farmers who were cultivating medical plants in the eastern part of Mazandaran province (Sari, Neka, Behshahr and Galogah Township). 339 farmers were selected as sample by stratified random sampling using the Krejcie and Morgan table. Descriptive and quantitative research method, survey technique and questionnaire tool were used to collect data. The research results showed that farmers mainly sell their products through retailing, brokers, or medicinal herbs sellers. The most important challenges in the cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants have been the high cost of production inputs, the small number of processing and packaging workshops, low international exports, the inability to access to financial credits, and the low awareness of farmers about the marketing of medicinal plants. based on the farmers’ view, strategies such as granting low-interest financial credits, setting up processing workshops, training and empowering farmers in the field of marketing, facilitating the issuance of licenses, creating permanent and temporary markets for direct sales, guaranteed purchase by the government and providing consumption subsidies, can improve marketing of medicinal plants