Cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants for specialty industrial materials

Specialty materials such as essential oils, pharmaceuticals, colorants, dyes, cosmetics and biocides are obtained from plants. Many species of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are cultivated for such industrial uses, but most are still wild collected. The need for renewable sources of industrial products as well as the need to protect plant biodiversity creates an opportunity for farmers to produce such crops. The production of plants as raw material for fine chemicals is different than cultivation of ornamental or food crops. This review attempts to give an overview of the use of MAPs in various industries, as well as trends in the various markets involved. Economic and regulatory issues relevant for such uses of MAP material are also discussed, with a focus on the situation in the European Union. The aim is to provide information to potential producers to help identify interesting MAPs for cultivation.

Research highlights
► MAP cultivation should be standardized to ensure known levels of active compounds.
► Plant material should meet regional and national safety requirements.
► Traceability is essential in guaranteeing efficacy and safety of MAP material.
► A constant supply of raw material is essential to good trade relationships.
► Producers should be informed of ever changing demands for MAP material.