Echinacea Angustifolia Market 2001

Have you heard anything new on Echinacea angustifolia root sale? Is anyone buying or even remotely interested in this product? I'm wondering if I should even continue growing it. It's very discouraging to grow and wait 4 years and then not even get a bid or request for any of it. Is the pipeline full? Are other countries or buyers playing games with growers and brokers? Are we asking too much money or what's up?

I've had very little demand for E. angustifolia, and essentially no requests for E. purpurea. Late last year I had a request for 30,000 lb. herb, but it turned out to be a "fishing trip."
I feel there is too much of E. angustifolia in cultivation, and the prices remain low at US$14/lb. This may change to US$18/lb., but I don't see that happening until current inventories are depleted.
I see no markets in North America for E. purpurea, only in Europe, and they grow it extensively throughout Asia and Europe now. I might leave your root in the ground one more year, harvesting in 2002 (best guess).