Crops such as lemon in Levante and Murcia, lavender in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León, and rockrose in Andalusia have a positive impact on the depopulated rural areas of Spain. These crops allow the industry to utilize these raw materials for natural ingredients in perfumes and cosmetics.Val Díez, the general director of Stanpa and vice president of the Perfume Academy, emphasized the crucial role of farmers in the development and production of essential oils. She highlighted that “the positive impact of essences goes beyond the companies that produce them; the value chain extends from the field worker to our homes.”

The industry is hopeful that Spain’s presidency of the Council of the European Union will be instrumental in promoting the use of natural ingredients in the production of essential oilsคำพูดจาก สล็อตเว็บตรง. This has an immediate economic and social impact, supporting over 50,000 jobs in Europe.The sector is calling for the promotion of natural substances of biological origin in daily-use products within the framework of the EU’s Green Agenda.Plantations of lemon, thyme, and wild rockrose are sustained throughout Spain thanks to the production and extraction of these natural raw materials by the industry, allowing for the preservation and growth of iconic and prestigious perfume brands.Dominique Roques, an industry expert with over 30 years of experience in the perfume industry, indicated that “there is an entire world between the harvesters and the laboratories where perfumes are made. Natural ingredients generate incalculable value, not only in economic terms, but also for the communities that cultivate them. If we don’t make an effort to support them, these raw materials, their legacy and the traditions they represent will cease to exist in the future.”In this way, Spain is a global leader in the production of rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) and thyme (Thymus Zigis), as well as a major producer of lavender. Its high-quality production mainly comes from forest cleaning and wild harvesting, rather than from cultivation, employing many seasonal workers from April to November, as these are the peak production seasons.The production area of aromatic plants has increased by 35% in the last year, continuing its upward trend since 2018, with a total of 18,000 cultivated hectares.In 2022, nearly 7,000 tons of aromatic essential oils were exported from Spain to France (13%), Italy (12%), Germany (10%), and the United Kingdom (7%). Of these, 15% represent pure (non-synthetic) oils, while 7,200 tons were imported from countries such as China (18%), Brazil (17%), France (11%), Indonesia (9%), and India (9%).The sector emphasizes that aromatic plants are more productive than cereals and, being rain-fed, do not require irrigation. Moreover, they do not rely on pesticides or fertilizers and contribute to biodiversity, particularly for bees.These three aromatic plants are the most produced and commercially marketed, but Spain also has many other varieties that are highly appreciated and contribute to expanding the palette for perfumers and aromatherapists in a very positive way. Among them, noteworthy varieties include marjoram, fennel, hyssop, cypress, cade, and sage.

Spain: Europe’s leading exporter of lemon oil and second worldwideคำพูดจาก สล็อตเว็บตรง

Spain is the second largest global producer of both lemons and their essential oil, with a production of up to 1,400 tons, generating nearly 23,000 direct jobs in rural areas, with over 50% of them held by women. Additionally, Spain has a unique variety in the world, called Verna, which holds significant emerging value for the perfume industry, along with the Fino variety.The production of lemons covers 50,400 hectares in Spain, and the 15 million lemon trees currently in existence capture over 300 tons of CO2 per year. These trees are cultivated mainly in the regions of Murcia (53% of the production), Comunidad Valenciana (33%), and Andalusia (14%).The sustainable collection of rockrose is a main challenge for the industry. According to a cartographic study within the BeonNat project, it is estimated that rockrose covers an area of about 2.1 million hectares in the entire peninsula, of which only 4% is currently harvested due to factors such as plant age, land quality, and accessibility.Currently, its collection is focused in Huelva, Seville, Extremadura, and the central region of the peninsula, with processing industries located in Huelva and Seville.”The key takeaway is the undeniable and significant positive impact of natural ingredients on the community in three dimensions: cultivation areas, job creation, especially in rural areas, and circularity,” concluded Val Díez.