Origin and distribution

Origin and distribution

    • It is a native of the Mediterranean regions of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. Rosemary is grown in Spain, Italy, France, Algeria, Morocco and Portugal for its essential oil.

    • Spain has traditionally been the largest supplier of the oil, but it appears to be rapidly losing ground to Tunisia.

    • The annual world production of the oil has been increasing gradually over the years and now 200-300 t of oil is being produced annually.

    • In India, a negligible quality of oil is produced.

    • Rosemary is cultivated to a limited extent in the Nilgiris in South India. Its cultivation in the plains is of recent origin and now it is being cultivated in and around Bangalore on a small scale.

    • The oil is comparable to the Spanish oil in quality and has been well received by the trade.

Last modified: Tuesday, 3 April 2012, 11:12 AM