In Pakistan at least some of it is being used as Oriental Medicine: https://www.dawn.com/news/1203762

Hakeem Haji Gulfaraz sits behind the counter at Islamabad’s oldest ‘Pansar’ shop, Murree Kiryana, in Aabpara Market. Behind him is a wall lined with hundreds of drawers, each labelled with a strange new name and containing a type of herb, root, raisin, berry or seed.

The request to see what his drawers contain gets Hakeem Gulfaraz excited.

“The curiosities in here won’t disappoint you,” he said, taking out a large plastic container from one of the drawers.

Inside the container are five or six lizard corpses. “This is a sandfish, found in the desserts of Arabia, it’s crushed to make a paste which increases libido and improves the functioning of the nervous system,” he said.

He takes out other samples, each with an interesting new chemical property. There is the snake-root, locally known as Chota Chandan, a root with psychotropic and sedative properties. It is used to treat high blood pressure, mania and even schizophrenia.


Another unappetising sample pulled out by the hakeem is Castoreum, locally called Jund-e-Badastar. It is collected from the castor sacs of an adult beaver. Castoreum has a calming effect and is used to treat anxiety, fever, hysteria, insomnia and menstrual disorders.

KOSOI, are Russian trappers targeting beaver again or are populations not stable enough yet?

castor has been a food additive for a long time.

Shipping charges moving it to market.

Why dont they pass the costs of doing buisness to the end user instead of to the producer?
That is what most buisnesses do.
I will sell mine locally for a little less than last year instead of letting some middle man make a large profit from my work.

Google Jund-e-Badastar and you'll find that it sells for 1.49 LAKH per KILO. (one) LAKH is the equivalent of $1,397.00 USD. so a kilo of beaver castor is worth retail approx. $2081. This is in Indian currency. I found that at Indiamart if anyone is interested.

Wow. Hope this doesn't get out. The antis will be calling castor the 'new bear gall bladders' and try to get it shut down!