Oil extraction from turmeric leaves and market research

Turmeric is an over looked (probably neglected by the development organization) commodity for income generating and employment creation. It is species product mostly using in daily cooking purpose of Nepali life. It has also medicinal values in ethno-botanical use and ayurvedic purpose. It is also used for coloring the clothes in dying business. It has been expanding in increasing ratio for cultivation by the farmers due to increasing market demand. Terai and mid-hilly area are the districts where mass quantity of raw turmeric is producing by the small farmers/forest users groups. Around 90 percent of households of poor are engaged in turmeric production and approximately 14000 metric tons of turmeric is producing annually. Out of them 60 percent households are from disadvantage groups. Most of the production has been trading in raw form and they are not getting well price. In this context, there are enough opportunities for value addition, commercialization in cultivation through the use of modern technology, product diversification and marketing. From the above said point of view, Elam project has piloted oil extraction from turmeric leaves and sold it in national and international market in the partnership with private industry of Natural Herbal Pvt. Ltd, Bara and Kathmandu. Main objective of this piloting was to see the market opportunity turmeric leaves oil and making value addition in turmeric sub-sector so that micro entrepreneurs can earn more income for turmeric resource bases enterprises.

It is identified that market of turmeric leaves oil is in exist in national and international market from product development and market research of turmeric leaves oil. Mainly the product is use for as raw materials of different cosmetic product. Indian, Chinese and Malaysian traders are the main buyers of the turmeric leaves. After successful completion of product development and test, 350 farmers were directly benefited by selling their turmeric leaves which was totally wastage before in Sarlahi Rautahat and Bara districts of Nepal. It is seems that there is big opportunity to expand it in other areas to capture critical mass of disadvantage groups to enhance their income and employment opportunity in the joint partnership with private sector, development organization and government on the basis of learning product development and testing.

[http://nepal.helvetas.org/en/country_pro… ]