Nakhon Sawan farmers make large profits growing fingerroot as Covid cure

While the science may be on the fence, herbal extracts are still growing in popularity as a Covid treatment. krachai khao, AKA fingerroot is providing generous returns for growers in Nakhon Sawan, a northern Thai province.

Sales are also booming for the extract of the green chiretta plant AKA fah talai jone, which is used in “traditional” medicine and is sometimes used to treat Covid symptoms. Fah talai jone made the news last week as a treatment for Covid, again, despite a lack of conclusive scientific data supporting it.

However, it may “soon” garner some scientific merit as the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine is partnering with Mahidol University to perform a clinical trial using the extracts from fingerroot, Pinostrobin and Pandulatin A to combat Covid.

Not only has krachai khao gained interest as a pseudo-scientific treatment for Covid, its price has also shot up. It used to sell for 30-80 baht a kilogram, now it sells for 120 baht

Farmers in Nakhon Sawan can now earn 5,000 to 7,000 baht a day hawking fingerroot.

Today, Wichian Suecharoen and his family sort through fingerroot. Prior to its use as a medicine, it was used in chili pastes. Now, his family is going to sell it to market vendors for a hefty profit.

The family used to get 30 to 80 baht for a kilo of the herb. Since last week, the price has continued to climb to 120 baht a kilo, bouncing back and forth from 100 to 170 baht, size-dependent, says Wichian. In fact, he plans to expand his farm’s growing capacities.

Back in May, Mahidol University said Fingerroot is not effective medicine for treating Covid symptoms.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post