Heeng (Ferula assa-foetida): Agrotechnology

Heeng (Ferula assa-foetida) is one of the top spices traded in India. Raw asafoetida is extracted from the fleshy roots of Ferula assa-foetida as an oleo-gum resin. The plant is native to Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and not reported in India. No production of hing in our country.

Target regions

Cold desert regions of Indian Himalayas (Lahaul & Spiti, Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, parts of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh)

• CSIR-IHBT introduced Heeng seeds (six accessions) for the first time in the country from Iran through ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi vide import permit Nos. 318/2018 & 409/2018.
• The Institute successfully conducted trial of asafoetida at Centre for High Altitude Biology (research centre of CSIR-IHBT), Ribling, Lahaul & Spiti, H.P. under the vigil of NBPGR.
• MoU between CSIR-IHBT and State Department of Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh was signed on June 6, 2020 for a joint collaboration for the cultivation of asafoetida in the State
• The first plantation was started by CSIR-IHBT on 15th October, 2020 at farmer’s field in village Kwaring of Lahaul valley to mark initiation of cultivation of asafoetida in India.