ISLAMABAD: Pakistan should encourage farmers to grow chamomile as the country can earn precious foreign exchange by exporting the plant and its essential extracts.
Non-conventional chamomile cultivation can bring a revolutionary change in the socioeconomic conditions of the farming community in Pakistan.
“Farmers should be encouraged to grow such export-oriented plants in the country,” said Ghulamullah Saqib, the deputy director of agriculture department, Skardu.
He discussed with WealthPK the commercial value of chamomile, saying his department had taken the initiative to grow chamomile. “Chamomile tea is imported in Pakistan at high cost, beyond the reach of common man. Keeping that in mind, we have decided to promote its cultivation locally.”
He said though the area had wild chamomile growth, he had brought its German variety from the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad, and cultivated and replicated it in an area of four kanals for qualitative production. “If grown well, a plant normally produces 60 to 80 flowers.” He said he had been cultivating the plant for six years, and was planning to export the variety. “Right now, I sell large quantities of the product to companies for value addition at a good price,” he said, adding small packets of about 50 grams were also available at Rs500. “Pakistan can earn handsome foreign exchange through export of its value-added products.”
Chamomile is widely used for many industrial purposes like essential oils, extracts, pharmaceuticals, perfumery, food, beverages, etc.
The US imports chamomile herbal tea worth £750,000 annually. Globally, its plant parts value is expected to reach $412 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 10% by the year 2028 and by the same year, its extracts market is projected to get a CAGR of 9%. The chamomile tea market was valued at $226.9 million in 2021 and by the year 2029, it is expected to be worth $504.35 million at a CAGR of 10.50%. While its seed market is anticipated to reach $1 billion at a CAGR of 5.5% by the year 2032 from $587.1 million in 2022.
Chemist, herbalist, aroma therapist and chief executive officer of North Natural Pakistan (Pvt) Limited (NNPL), Chitral, Ijaz Sharif Nadeem told WealthPK that extraction of essential oil and production of herbal tea are the core products of chamomile plant. He said his unit had completed research and development of extracting chamomile essential oil. He said essential oil was extracted from flowers only through steam distillation. “About four tonnes of chamomile flowers are required to extract one kg oil. We are also preparing chamomile herbal tea with a mixture of leaves and flowers. Very soon we are going to launch our own brand of chamomile herbal tea, which will also be exported. People in Pakistan are not well aware of its importance, but it is considered valuable in foreign countries.”
He said herbal tea was produced through sifting from 15-20 mesh, adding as the local terrain had abundance of wild chamomile growth, its specific cultivation was not necessary. “Chamomile plants are not uprooted, just the stems are cut which regrow. Flowers are collected from May to August. They are shade dried in specific greenhouses, where moisture content is kept at 3% to avoid fungal attack. If packed carefully, its shelf life spans two years. “Chamomile flourishes well in moderate temperatures in plains. It can also be grown in containers on rooftops because its roots are no more than 7 to 8 inches and stem size normally does not increase beyond 12 to 15 inches. Chamomile is of two to three types, but the most valuable is the German variety, which is called Gul-i-Baboona in Urdu,” explained Sharif Nadeem.
Talking to WealthPK, Najmuddin Mazari, herbalist, aroma therapist and CEO of Chiltan Pure Pakistan, Skardu, which makes herbal tea, said chamomile was naturally full of medicinal qualities for curing the distracted mind and sleep disorders. “We produce a variety of products from chamomile, including essential oil, herbal tea, serum, face packs, face wash, beauty products, etc. Its powder is used in salad dressings and can also be sprinkled on many types of foods for flavouring and aroma. A good boiled tea added with honey is the best for health. There is much potential in its commercial production, but still farmers are not well aware of its benefits and importance,” explained Mazari.
He said chamomile flower petals were much more effective than other plant inclusions. “Chamomile petal products are expensive. Petals are sold at about Rs10,000 per kilogramme. To get infused oil, its powder is mostly mixed with any carrier oil like sesame oil at low heat to retain quality. Mostly its extracts are obtained through steam distillation.”
