Indonesia is the largest producer of Patchouli oil, contributing to over 80% of the global supply (1,000 - 1,200 MT).
Patchouli is a perennial aromatic herb species that thrives in warm, tropical climates. This makes Indonesia a perfect place to cultivate it. Over the years, the cultivation of Patchouli has shifted across Indonesia's various islands, and Sulawesi is currently where most of the Patchouli is farmed.
Interesting Fact: Van Aroma is the world's single largest producer and exporter of Patchouli Oil (~700 MT per annum).
Patchouli as a crop is fairly demanding on the soil, which is why it cannot be cultivated on the same patch of land for very long. There are certain components and nutrients in the soil needed for a healthy yield and oil composition which get depleted over time. This is why the plantations tend to move from one place to another. Patchouli adapts itself to a wide range of soil conditions. It requires deep, well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic, deep loamy soil, rich in humus and nutrients. The pH of the soil should range from 5.5 to 7.5 for ideal growth.
It takes a long time for the soil to replenish its nutrients to be good enough to re-cultivate Patchouli and yield an optimum quality. Hence, farmers often intercrop Patchouli with plants like Cocoa or Palm as alternatives should one crop not support them for their livelihoods.
This migration of the Patchouli crop has resulted in oils that have varying Patchoulol levels, acid values, colour and olfactive profile.
We source all our Patchouli Oil from partner farmers and pre-approved accumulators who harvest and process the crop through steam distillation to produce a crude form of Patchouli Oil. Our closely knit network of farmers and distillers allows for complete traceability of every drop down to source.
PATCHOULI OIL DISTILLATION IN 10 STEPS
STEPS 1 : BABY SEEDLINGS
STEPS 2 : PREPARATIONS FOR PLANTING
STEPS 3 : PLANTING SEEDLINGS
STEPS 4 : PLANTATION
STEPS 5 : HARVESTED LEAVES
STEPS 6 : CUTTING LEAVES FOR DRYING
STEPS 7 : DRYING
STEPS 8 : DRIED LEAVES ARE TRANSPORTED TO DISTILLATION UNITS
STEPS 9 : DISTILLATION
STEPS 10 : FILTRATION
PATCHOULI OIL
