Right at home

The Indonesian essential oil industry is made up of farmers from across the nation. Working on small holdings, they grow the raw materials that are the heart and soul of some of the world’s best perfumes.

These include Coco Chanel’s “Chanel No. 5” that has ylang ylang, or sandat, a locally grown flower, as its signature note.

To further develop the industry in Indonesia, the Indonesian Essential Oil Council was established to monitor quality and assist producers growing their businesses, which include a chain of farmers, distillers, collectors, agents, exporters and finally overseas buyers.

Gross export value for 4,000 tons of essential oils hit more than US$100 million in 2009, according to the industry’s website.

The front-runner in export perfume oils for 2009 was patchouli oil, grown across Sumatra and Java. Indonesian patchouli has more than 90 percent of the world’s share and its export makes up almost half of the nation’s essential oil export revenue.

Indonesian patchouli is the base of all oriental type perfumes, such as Thierry Mugler’s “Angel” and Yves St. Laurent’s “Opium” and “Shalimar”.

The essential oil industry says farming the plants that form the raw materials is positive for the environment as well, due to the diversity of plants needed.

Small scale farmers can plant essential oil producing species near native forests. These plants are naturally occurring, so farms do not depend on the huge volumes of monoculture farming, such as at palm oil plantations, believed to damage the environment and cause massive habitat loss for wildlife.

— Trisha Sertori