The 2008 report acknowledged that the global market for herbal curatives and supplements had changed significantly in the past decade and opened a catalog of new opportunities. The companies now harvest rising global consumer interest in the herbal alternatives to synthetic drugs, especially through increased interest in complementary alternative medicine and traditional medicinal systems.
The rough global estimates indicate that the market for herbal remedies across all segments currently brings in about $83 billion. The steady growth ranges between 3% and 12%. Herbal dietary supplements ($11 billion) and herbal functional foods ($14 billion) make up over a third of the market. The global herbal pharmaceutical industry (including drugs from herbal precursors and registered herbal medicine) contributes $44 billion. Herbal beauty products make up the remaining $14 billion. In 2006, the top three herbs featured globally in medicines, supplements and functional foods were ginseng, ginkgo and noni.
