FPJ-Ed: 'Amid third wave of COVID 19, demand of turmeric increases in Jabalpur'

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The demand of turmeric has once again increased in the city amid the third wave of COVID 19 as it was the top home remedy to avoid COVID infection during the first wave.

Sakshi Agarwal, a student of MSc final year in Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur has made the above remark. She said that the University was performing research on 13 varieties of turmeric. The production of these turmeric has been examined in the research.

“Curcumin (a chemical form of turmeric) is used to increase immunity in the human body. During the COVID first wave, turmeric was used a lot. Therefore, we are performing research to identify which variety of turmeric has higher quantity of curcumin,” Sakshi said.

Sakshi further said that 13 varieties of turmeric mainly include Kadapa, Vietnam, Kali, Ama, Vaigao, Selam, Sonali and others. After the ongoing research on turmeric, the process of extracting oil from these turmeric would also start. It would also be examined which turmeric yields more oil and curcumin.

Scientists along with students were also researching new varieties of turmeric in the University. A senior scientist Dr Moni Thomas says that it is being checked that which varieties of turmeric are different from each other in the research. Antibiotic quantities of turmeric are also being examined. The turmerics are planted in sacks rather than in the ground, Thomas adds.