CULTIVATION

Rauvolfia serpentina can be grown in a variety of soils, but it thrives in well-drained, loamy soils with a pH of 6 to 7. It is typically propagated, and the plants should be spaced about 1.5 to 2 metres apart. It requires regular watering and should be protected from strong winds.

Roots of the Rauvolfia serpentina are typically harvested after 2 years of growth. The roots should be carefully dug up, washed and then dried in the sun and then final drying is done through conventional dryer machine before being stored. The dried roots are then cut to size of a standard length of 2 inch.

MANAGING ALKALOID CONTENT OF RAUVOLFIA SERPENTINA
It is always a challenge to organically grow Rauvolfia on a commercial scale. At SHAKOFARM we have observed Improvement in growth and alkaloid content of Rauvolfia serpentina on application of organic matrix entrapped biofertilizers (OMEB) like Azotobacter chroococcum. The ingredients used in the preparation of OMEB were all collected locally and consist of Azadirachta Indica leaves (Neem tree of India) and clay soil.

LEGAL PROTOCOL
Being an endangered species and an item covered under The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network (TRAFFIC), harvesting, shipment, transshipment, trading, and export of Rauvolfia Serpentina is strictly governed by protocols developed by the Forest Department at the local level and by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change. RS grown at the organic farm of SHAKOMATO TEA ESTATE is fully compliant of these requirements at all the stages of processing, manufacturing, and selling.