International Herbal Mela in MP

Madhya Pradesh Minor Forest Produce Co-operative Federation will organise a four-day-long 'International Herbal Mela' here between December 16 and 20.
  
The fair will be inaugurated by Madhya Pradesh Governor Ram Naresh Yadav on December 16, while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will preside over the closing ceremony, Federation Chairman and MLA Vishwas Sarang said on Tuesday.
  
Sarang said that the Federation is organising such fairs since 2001. "Since this year the State's Forest Department is completing 150 years of its foundation and 2011 was declared as the International Forest Year by the UN, effort has been made to give the event an international flavour," he said.
  
On this occasion, an International Conference on 'Non-Wood Forest Produce for Sustained Livelihood' will be organised, in which, national and international experts will participate, he added.
  
Besides India, experts from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Argentina, UK, Germany and China have confirmed their participation in the conference.
  
He also informed that in the state, forests are spread in an area of 95,000 square kilometer, which account for 31 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.
  
The herbs and plants of medicinal importance are found in abundance in these forests and the Federation by organising such fairs, provided a platform for showcasing them to those engaged in the business of herbal products.