MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Future Prospects

The future for aromatic crops, however, seems bright due to the following reasons


1. It is realized now that perfumes and essential oils are not the articles of luxury as they were in the past. The demand for essential oils is increasing day by day with the advancement of education and prosperity in the country. Fragrance plays a vital role in securing consumer acceptability in almost every product used. Essential oils are now a basic raw material for consumer products meant for mass consumption. At least two hundred essential oils are used often and another eight hundred find occasional application. Similarly, about a dozen expressed oils, and a dozen flower absolutes and a few oleoresins and gum resin oils are also used. There is a definite trend seen in the revival of plant-based aromatic chemicals in reports from medical centers regarding the potential carcinogenic hazards of synthetics. On the other hand, aromatic plants and essential oils freshen the environment. They also represent renewable resources.
2. The search for natural resources has been intensified as synthetics have failed to provide versatility and a situation of saturation and later stagnation started developing. Improved instruments and chemicals also and thus helped in the search for new aromatic compounds.
3. The aroma therapy is gaining momentum across the world and the interest in aromatics for their therapeutic value is also increasing due to the worldwide scare of the side-effects of synthetics and the revival of interest in herbs.
4. Natural essential oils have the potential of being very safe insecticides. One good example in this regard is of the essential oil obtained from Acorus calamus which has ß-asarone as an active principle, and produces sterility among a variety of insects of either sex. It has been found very effective and safe for the storage of food grains.
5. Apart from the above facts, essential oil crops are much better earners and, value-wise, their transportation cost is also much lower. Aromatic crops ought to get a high priority, next to food.
6. The growing and processing of aromatic crops is labour-intensive and, hence, generates lot of employment.
7. Their spent waste can be converted into boards and can be used as a mulching material or ploughed back into the soil to improve its tilth.
8. Most of these raw materials are produced in the tropics, in the developing countries of Asia and Africa from where they go to Europe and the USA for use in the manufacture of perfumery chemicals, cosmetics, food flavours and a host of other consumer products which, in turn, are distributed all over the world.
9. Thus, they provide a natural asset to these countries for the export trade.
 


• Despite many odds, India has still been maintaining a leading position in the production and trade of several essential oils. However, it is now facing stiff competition from other developing countries in several traditional commodities, both for quality and price, any slackness at this stage in these parameters may be disadvantageous to India in terms of international trade. It, therefore, needs intensive research efforts in farm production and processing technology. In many developing countries, there is now organized cultivation of these crops. Standards are being set for the presence of overall composition of the produce meant for use in industry and export.


• There are several new species being introduced into the market as new sources of aromatic materials and these are being widely utilized in the industry. It is an opportune time for us to make organized efforts in the introduction of several new aromatic species of industrial utility into Indian agriculture and encourage the production and utilization to sustain the fast expanding domestic industry, as well as for export.