The regional government is against cataloging essential oil as a chemical product
The high districts of Lorca and the Northwest region concentrate a good part of the 2,160 hectares of the Region of Murcia in which, in 2022, aromatic plants were cultivated for the extraction of essential oils. The increase in the area in the region dedicated to this crop grew by 44% between 2020 and 2021, an increase that, in the opinion of the Minister of Water and Agriculture, Antonio Luengo, “shows the consolidation of this crop, an effective alternative to those of cereal and woody in dry lands».
This was stated by the counselor on Wednesday during his visit to a farm dedicated to the production of these plants in the Lorca district of La Paca, where the first nursery specializing in aromatic and medicinal plants in Murcia will be installed. “These crops could be a viable alternative, with a booming market for the consumption of essential oils, and they fall within the line of the Common Agrarian Policy, which is committed to agriculture that is more respectful of the natural environment,” Luengo pointed out.
The counselor also spoke of one of the “threats” that this type of cultivation faces: the European initiative that proposes to classify essential oil as a chemical product, which “would significantly harm its marketing.” “Faced with this, from the regional government we are showing our position against this initiative and transferring the benefits of this product to Europe,” he said.
300 members and 500 hectares in La Paca
The president of the Campo Alto Irrigators Community, Juan García, explained that there are more than 300 members who manage some 500 hectares. García pointed out “the need to have water resources so that cultivation is reasonable in a drought area”, after estimating said need at 700 m3 per hectare per year.
Red thyme, which reigns in La Paca, together with lavender and sage, are the most representative plants in this sector, whose total production is around 23 million euros, with the national market being its main objective. In 2021, around 60 tons of essential oils were produced from different plants. The most abundant crops are red thyme, Spanish sage, lavender and lavandin. Rosemary, marjoram and oregano are also present in regional crops, but to a lesser extent.
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