Scientific prowess makes the impossible possible. In recent times, India has made tremendous progress in every field of science and technology, which makes even developed nations look at us with an envious mindset. As an agrarian economy, India has been an agricultural powerhouse for ages. Our traditional farmers have developed many indigenous elite cultivars for crop improvement. Amalgamating the strength of modern science and our rich heritage, our scientists could transform our country from a food deficient state to a food surplus state. Initiatives from the government like the Purple Revolution, also known as Lavender Revolution, launched by the Ministry of Science & Technology through the Aroma Mission — aimed at increasing the cultivation of high value and high demand aromatic crops — of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have brought a shift in the traditional agricultural pattern followed in Jammu and Kashmir, bringing more revenues to the farmers. The government is now trying to grow Hing (Ferula assa-foetida L), a widely used spice in Indian culinary and traditional medicine, but unfortunately, not cultivated in India. If this becomes successful, it will revolutionise our agricultural sector.
HING IN INDIAN TRADITION
Hing comes from the sap of the roots and stem of the Ferula assa-foetida L plant, a member of the Apiaceae family, which also includes carrots, celery, and parsley. The plant can grow up to six feet tall and has large, fleshy roots. The plant requires a cold climate, arid but sunny. It is found mostly in the desert-like higher regions of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. It is very finicky and grows stubbornly on its own.
This stinky spice has a long history dating back to 2500 BC. It has been discovered in the ancient Egyptian tombs. The journey of Hing to India from Afghanistan dates as far back as 600 BC, as evidenced by mentions in Hindu and Buddhist texts of that era. References to asafoetida are also found even in the epic Mahabharata, penned around 300 BC. The Bhagavata Purana says that one should not eat Hing before worshipping a deity. It’s still an enigma how a plant that is not cultivated in the country has won wide acceptance across the land and entered into our traditional Ayurvedic texts like Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya. According to these texts, Hingu can be applied in various dosage forms such as Kashaya, Curna, Vati, Gutika, Varti, Lepa, Leha, Taila, Ghrita, Anjana, Dhumapana and Dhupana. It is a primary ingredient in the renowned Ayurvedic herbal formulation Hingashtak. It is valued for its digestive properties and is believed to relieve gas, bloating, and indigestion. Hing is also used in herbal remedies for respiratory ailments and menstrual disorders and as an antidote to certain poisons. It is also known to have a calming effect on the nervous system. It is thought to possess gentle sedative characteristics, potentially aiding in the alleviation of anxiety and stress. In Indian folklore and mythology, it is mentioned that Asafoetida can chase away evil spirits. Asafoetida imparts a soothing onion-garlic essence to curries, offering a lingering taste that enhances the dish with a unique umami flavour.
Even though Hing is closely associated with Indian culture, it is not cultivated in India. Annually, India imports 1,500 tonnes of asafoetida, totalling Rs 940 crore. Surprisingly, every Indian household relies solely on imported asafoetida, with 90 percent sourced from Afghanistan, 8 percent from Uzbekistan, and 2 percent from Iran. Pricing for Afghan, Uzbek, and Tajik asafoetida varies considerably, ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 55,000 per kilogram. Presently, Tajikistan’s asafoetida sells for Rs 550 for 10 gm, Uzbekistan’s for Rs 350, and a blend of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan for Rs 250. Moreover, milky asafoetida is available at Rs 200 per 10 gm.
PROCESSING
Asafoetida is derived from Ferula plants, which possess large taproots or carrot-shaped roots, typically 12.5-15 cm in diameter at the crown by the age of 4-5 years. Just before these plants flower, usually in March-April, the upper part of the living rhizome root is exposed, the stem is cut off near the crown, and the milky resin is extracted. The resin is dried into a solid mass, which is further processed into a powder or sold as a solid resin. The resin comes in two forms, viz. Hing kabuli sufaid (milky white asafoetida) and hing lal (red asafoetida). The white or pale variety is water soluble, whereas the dark or black variety is oil soluble.
The resin has a strong, pungent odour, often likened to sulfur or garlic, which mellows into a savoury, umami-like flavour when cooked. In India, imported asafoetida resin is ‘stabilised’ with an edible substance, such as wheat or rice flour, and then formed into lumps, granules, and powders. The additives aid in regulating the concentration of asafoetida based on its intended use.
All Images Courtesy: CSIR-IHBT
HING CULTIVATION IN INDIA
Raw asafoetida (Hing) is extracted from the fleshy roots of Ferula assa-foetida as an oleo-gum resin. The plant is native to Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Close to 130 species of Ferula are found globally. Of these, Ferula jaeschkeana and Ferula narthex are reported from the western Himalaya. The former is found in the Chamba and Lahaul regions of Himachal Pradesh, while the latter has been reported from Kashmir and Ladakh. However, Hing of commercial importance is obtained from Ferula assa-foetida. This species is not reported from India. The plant prefers cold, dry conditions and takes nearly five years to produce the oleo-resin in its roots.
Even though Hing is widely used in our cuisine, our agricultural scientists have never ventured to initiate its cultivation in our country. In a significant step, the scientists from CSIR- Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), under the leadership of their director, Dr Sanjay Kumar, and senior scientist Dr Ashok Kumar, decided to bring a transformative step in Indian agriculture, that if it becomes successful, will become a historical moment for Indian science. The Institute introduced 66 accessions of Ferula assa-foetida seeds from Iran and Afghanistan through the ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR), New Delhi. The seeds were raised at the Center for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB), Ribling, under the vigil of NBPGR, New Delhi. Seed germination is a major constraint in asafoetida due to seed dormancy; generally, the germination is 1-2% under normal conditions. Efforts were made at the institute to standardise seed germination through a series of experiments in the laboratory, and finally, seed germination of 60-70% was achieved for raising planting material of asafoetida.
With the introduction of Ferula assa-foetida in India, there was a need to authenticate the species introduced by the development of DNA-based genetic markers. DNA bar-coding was successfully done at CSIR-IHBT to authenticate the Ferula assa-foetida species introduced. Dry temperate climate experiencing an average rainfall between 100-250 mm and soil having a slope of 15-30% with an altitude of 2000m to 3500m are considered suitable conditions for the growth and development of Ferula assa-foetida. For the identification of niche areas, ecological niche modelling (ENM) was done, and it found that Lahaul & Spiti, Kinnaur, Mandi, Kullu and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh were expected to be suitable for its cultivation. Similarly, union territories of Ladakh, J&K and parts of Uttarakhand were found suitable for its cultivation.
The government of Himachal Pradesh acknowledged CSIR-IHBT’s efforts and announced the ‘Krishi Se Sampannata Yojna’ for the cultivation of Hing and Saffron in Himachal Pradesh in 2020. Consequently, an MoU was signed between CSIR-IHBT and the State Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh, for a joint collaboration on the cultivation of asafoetida in the state. The shortage of planting material for Ferula assa-foetida plants in India posed a significant challenge to cultivating this crop. Hing germplasm resource centre and seed production centres have been established at CSIR-IHBT, Palampur to conserve the germplasm resources and produce indigenous Hing seeds.
According to Dr Ashok Kumar, the Principal Investigator of the project, the farmers of Himachal Pradesh are now taking up cultivation of asafoetida (Hing) to utilise vast expanses of wasteland/unutilised sloppy land in the cold desert conditions of the region. Hing plantation has been done in five districts of Himachal Pradesh viz. Lahaul & Spiti, Kinnaur, Mandi, Chamba and Kullu to cover an area of about 7.0 ha under Hing cultivation. About 290 farmers have initiated cultivation of Hing on their farms. Farmers and agriculture officers are being trained in Hing cultivation. Till now, 1103 farmers have been trained through 61 on-farm training programs. The institute also conducts capacity-building programmes for agriculture officers. Apart from Himachal Pradesh, the plant is currently being cultivated in neighbouring Uttarakhand, Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir under the initiative of CSIR- IHBT. Dr Kumar says the hing crop requires five years to mature before harvesting. On average, each plant produces 25 to 30 grams of hing. With this yield, one hectare of land can produce two and a half quintals of Hing, where one quintal equals 100 kilograms.
The initial characterisation findings indicate that the Ferula assa-foetida plant, when cultivated in Indian conditions, exhibits quality traits and chemical constituents that are at par with those known for the distinctive aroma characteristic of Hing. However, despite this promising potential, a significant obstacle hindering the widespread cultivation of Hing in India is the scarcity of sufficient planting material.
Addressing this challenge requires innovative approaches, and one such method is in vitro mass propagation, which enables the rapid multiplication of planting material under controlled laboratory conditions. Recognising the importance of this technique, the institute has developed specialised tissue culture protocols tailored for the commercial-scale production of Ferula assa-foetida.
By facilitating the large-scale cultivation of asafoetida through advanced propagation methods, the institute’s initiative represents more than just a scientific endeavour. It embodies a strategic step towards fostering self-sufficiency in the agricultural sector, aligning with the broader national goal of achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat or a self-reliant India. This endeavour holds the promise of enhancing domestic production and contributes to reducing dependence on imports, thereby bolstering the resilience and sustainability of India’s agricultural economy.
*The writer is an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru. He can be reached at bijudharmapalan@gmail.com.
