The Rural Voice, 2000-09, Page 14• CABLE • ROPE • CHAIN
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10 THE RURAL VOICE
Robert Mercer
Niche marketing with aflavour!
The botanical extract and essential
oils sector has been identified as a
potential fast growth sector by the BC
Ministry of Agriculture.
Herbal medicines, nutraceuticals —
flavours,
fragrances and
cosmetic uses —
are the rising
stars of this
international
market now
accounting for
$14 billion
annually. In BC
the sector
revenue is $30
million but
growth averages
12 per cent with
some sectors at
1000 per cent.
A farmer -industry workshop was
recently held in Duncan that reflected
the interest and uncertainty of this
emerging specialty area. The
workshop reviewed an extensive
industry study Botanical Extracts and
Essential Oils (130 pages with
appendix) by Andrea Gunner of
Armstrong, BC.
Andrea told the capacity crowd
that there has been a major consumer
shift from mainline pharmaceuticals
to the more gentle herbal medicine
where the consumer has more control
over decision making. She stressed
diat these are new consumers buying
from mass market outlets and are new
to herbal medicines.
This observation by the report
author was backed up by Gillian
Leverkus, Ph.D. a local practitioner in
herbal and homeopathic medicine.
She said "I desperately need
somewhere to send my patients where
I know the quality of the herbals is
good." From her point of view she
said "good relations with the medical
fraternity is essential to developing
market knowledge and production
needs."
In her presentation Gillian
Leverkus told the producers and
processors "that if you want to focus
your efforts and are quality oriented,
you will not be disappointed". She
said that "the public is demanding
alternative medicines and I for one
require a source of product with the
integrity of local, high quality
assurance."
Those attending the workshop
were split between growers only, and
those who added value by further
processing. For those who took the
additional steps the report pointed out
the need for standardized extracts,
pharmaceutical grade products and
the differences of plant use depending
on how it was used — such as whole
plant, tincture, tea or as a powder.
The report gives tables and data on
plant species and their acreage, yields,
volumes grown, price ranges, extract
percentages and market size. In BC
the average acreage of botanicals
grown was less than two acres per
small holding except for Echinacea
Augustifolia at 2.12 ac.
Many crops in this report would
not suit Ontario conditions but
Seabuckthorn is grown in
Saskatchewan and the North
American'demand for the essential oil
from garlic is listed at 4,440 kg.
One interesting development
shown at the workshop was a small
scale distillation still at about $1,000
and a possible introduction of a larger
scale model as a mobile unit to visit
farms at the time of harvest. This unit
would undertake the immediate
distillation with purification at a later
stage.
As mainline medical practice
moves slowly to allow discussion of
complementary medicines, the federal
government is moving in tandem by
forming the Natural Health Products
office. Thus the political outlook
continues positive for botanicals in
Canada.
Further information on the
"Botanical Extract and Essential Oils"
study call Andrea Gunner, P.Ag. at
250-546-2712 or for a copy of the
report BC Queens Printer, Stock
Number 7680001175 at $23.54 taxes
and shipping included. 800-663-
6105.0
Robert Mercer was editor of the
Broadwater Market Letter and a farm
commentator in Ontario for 25 years.