MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Importance and chemical composition

• French Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) (Family: Oleaceae) has a unique place in perfumery because of its high value of oil traded as ‘concrete’.
  


• Its flowers produce a gently pleasing delicate aroma.
  


• The concrete or absolute extracted through solvent extraction is used in manufacturing of high value perfumes and their umpteen fragrance formulations.
  


• In India, its cultivations have spread in southern states after development of a culture, ‘Pitchi’.


• It blooms for 6-7 months (mid-May to early-December) in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.


• India is now second largest producer of jasmine ‘concrete’ after Egypt, exporting most of its produce to Europe.