Chamomile is in the air - The sustainability of low volume, high-value essential oils from the hills of Nepal

Ms Chelsea Johnson, a master student from the University of Hohenheim, conducts a validation study on distillation units promoted by one of SATNET Asia’s Associates, IDE in Nepal. The aim is to examine the sustainability of this technology. Since 15 March 2013, she visited distillers in Lahitpur district (a hilly region, 24 km from Kathmandu) and Banke district (terai region, 27 km from Nepalgunj) and discussed with unit managers and technical experts about the different sustainability aspects of the distillation units. Currently, the second chamomile harvest of the year is happening in the terai and wintergreen processing is going on in the hills.

Nepal has a unique climate and landscape which makes it suitable for growing aromatic plants and processing essential oils. Low-volume, high-value products such as essential oil can supplement income for some of the poorest groups in Nepal. Distillation is an economical method of extracting essential oil from aromatic plant material which can be carried out with simple equipment close to the site of plant production. Even in remote locations large quantities of material can be processed in a short time. The photo on the right shows community members bringing winter green to the distillation unit.

In initial interviews conducted by Chelsea Johnson, barriers to the success of production have been acknowledged: the volatility of market prices of essential oils and the ability of farmers to act accordingly, lack of year-round processing, and competition from neighboring India. However, with technical support and farmer training in understanding market dynamics, the essential oil production can continue to grow. The photo on the left shows Mr. Harka Bahadur Bista, distillation unit manager, takes a look at a freshly processed chamomile essential oil.

Because the distillers are owned by community forest groups, the profits from the sale of essential oils goes to a community fund which pays for services such as roads and schools. Decisions about which plants to grow on community land must be made as a group, and over-harvesting is not possible because the community enforces guidelines set by Nepal’s Department of Forests.

In the upcoming weeks, Ms Johnson will interview farmers, distillation unit managers, and essential oil buyers to gain further insight to some of the barriers of sustainability. 

Photos:  Chelsea Johnson