Juliana Navarro Rocha - Value Chain Event on Carbohydrate and Specialty Industrial Crops: Opportunities for the agriculture sector - Panacea
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Value Chain Event on Carbohydrate and Specialty Industrial
Crops: Opportunities for the agriculture sector
The situation of specialty crops
Juliana Navarro Rocha
Zaragoza, 20/01/2021
INSTITUTION
Agrifood Research and Technology
Centre of Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain.
Domestication and valorization of
Mediterranean MAPs
Introduction EIP-AGRI Focus Group: Sustainable Industrial Crops How industrial crops can contribute to new market opportunities, business models and sustainable farming systems, which create value for farmers in the EU, while not replacing food production?
Introduction to MAP Plants as a primary source of bioactive compounds: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) The quality of the raw material determines their safety and efficacy (genetic, plant selection and cultivation technics). Growing interest of consumers in substances of natural origin in addition to the increasing concern surrounding potentially harmful synthetic additives. Risen demand for a continuous and uniform supply of MAPs and the accelerating depletion of forest resources: domestication. Trend towards a greater proportion of cultivated material (just 1% of MAPs are cultivated), the rest comes from wild recollection. 5,23 % area cover in Europe with MAP crops (Eurostat 2016).
Introduction to MAP
In EU, there are over 36,000 companies dealing with the cultivation, processing
an distribution of MAPs: 200,000 ha
MAP area in Europe (ha)
7191 6800
7225
8500
53000
16800
MAPs are considered very ruder and low-
demanding crops, with reduced input of
27800 fertilizers and water, having the possibility
30000
of being cultivated in marginal land.
France Poland Spain Bulgary Croatia Czech Republic Italy Greece
New opportunities
Farmers growing MAPs can be key actors in producing high added-value products
such as biochemicals, pharmaceuticals and bio-composites and improve their revenue.
New
investments
Cooperation New
and expert
advice M AP economic
actors
Promising areas for MAPs:
Pharmaceuticals, Access to
knowledge
cosmetic…
Alternative to Non-Food Crops - Should be industry/market focused. - The price of the product should be competitive on the market place. - The production chain should be verified, so that the industry can be assured that materials will meet their requirements and be of consistent quality.
Specialty products • Essential oils • Pharmaceuticals • Herbal health products • Dyes and colorants • Cosmetics, personal care products • Plant protection products • Intermediates from which the above can be produced.
Essential oils • Essential oils are highly concentrated, volatile, hydrophobic mixtures of chemicals extracted from plants, with flavor and fragrance properties, and many also possess other biological activities. - flavorings (e.g. soft drinks, food, confectionary), - cosmetics industry (e.g. perfumes, skin and hair care products), - pharmaceutical industry (e.g. antimicrobial activity). - aromatherapy and healthcare products. Biggest market: USA, western European (France, Germany, UK), and Japan. 300 essential oils are commonly traded on the global market (CBI): orange, cornmint (Menta arvensis),lemon, eucaluptus (>100tonnes); Spike lavender, sages and thymes (50-100 tonnes)
Medicinal products a). Pharmaceuticals: medicines from compounds extracted from plant material, as starting material to produce drugs semi-synthetically - More than 25% of the pharmaceutical drugs used in the world today. Eg. Digoxin, from Digitalis lanata to Heart disorders b). Herbal medicines: extracts, teas, tinctures or capsules produced from MAPs (phytomedicines or herbal medicines in Europe, and botanical drugs in the United States). Eg. Gingko biloba extract to improve cognitive function c). Nutraceuticals/functional foods (fortified with added ingredients or not) with health benefits beyond basic nutrition – not to have license as a medicinal product.
Dyes and colorants Compounds extracted from plants can be used as natural colorants or dyes Natural dyes into the EU has increased by 3% from 2002 to 2007, while imports of synthetic dyes decreased by 2% per year in that time (CBI). Uses: - Color natural fibers such as wool, cotton, linen and hemp. - Paints and varnishes, cosmetics, food, in the eco-building industry, and in painting restoration - Eg. Marigold (Tagetes patula Flavonoids) - Yellow
Cosmetics and Plant protection A) Some important plant-derived ingredients used in the manufacture of cosmetics are oils, fats and waxes, essential oils and oleoresins, plant extracts and colorants. Eg. Rose oil (Rosa damascena) for fragrance. A) Various products derived from plants are currently being used to control insect pests, microbial pathogens and weeds (pyrethrins extracted from Tanacetum cinerariaefolium). The essential oils of some well-known aromatic plants have also been applied to plant protection, and can be found in commercial preparations (Mentha spp. - Herbicide, some antifungal activity and insecticide)
Wild collection x cultivation
Cultivation (GAP):
- it is easier to control the whole supply chain and chemical variation will be less.
- less adulteration or misidentification of material.
- easier to adhere to quality standards and have less batch-to-batch variation
- More stable prices of raw material
- More expensive for farmers
- Some species are not easy to domesticate
- Not feasible for small market-sized species
Wild recollection (GACP):
- Sustainability can be a problem with wild harvesting: populations may be
depleted
- Need of certificationWild recollection x cultivation
For successful large scale cultivation of MAPs, high quality raw material
should be produced using low input cultivation methods so that it can
compete in the international market and with plants collected in the wild.
Alternatively where much investment is needed to set up cultivation, plant
material with a high value should be grown.
Dittrichia graveolens
Satureja montanaLavender Value chain in EU The main comercial species are Lavandula angustifolia (lavender), Lavandula intermedia (lavandin) and Lavandula latifolia (spike). Used in the pharmaceutical and therapeutic industry, cosmetics (perfume, hygiene and beauty products), odorants, cleaning agents, insect repellents and pests, or even in the interior or exterior design. It is considered as a sustainable crop because it does not rely on pesticides and fertilizers, although in rare circumstances irrigation may be called for. The biggest issue is finding a viable marketing method.
Lavender Value chain in EU - Lavender can be a long-lived perennial (life of about 10 years). - best propagated from softwood cuttings of standard types - The purpose for which the lavender is being raised heavily influences cultivar choice. Linalool and linalyl acetate contents are two major constituents, and low content of camphor is very important because it gives lavender oil the undesirable odor. Linalyl acetate is high in the lavender oil while linalool is higher in the lavandin oil. Lavender oil is mostly used for perfume, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries .
Lavender Value chain in EU - Main producers: Bulgaria, France (these two countries together produce two thirds of total world lavender production) the United Kingdom, Spain. - Bulgaria has about 4 500 ha of production area and produced 200 tonnes of lavender oil in 2017, leading lavender oil producing and exporting country followed by France. - France is the first country for lavandin oil production followed by Spain, with around 22000 ha of surface devoted to lavender and lavandin. - Spain is the second big producer of lavandin oil behind France, with 2 000 ha and about 80 tonnes of oil.
Lavender Value chain in EU Both lavender and lavandin essential oil are sold in two major ways: i) local and niche markets and aromatherapy outlets run by smaller producers; ii) international markets: targeted by larger producers or in cooperation with international companies (established buyers, flavour and fragrance houses or companies in the essential oils business). - A growing number of distribution channels, particularly digital marketing/ online selling, has also contributed to the development of this sector. Consistent quality is needed to be a sustainable player in the market. - Commercial-scale production of lavender essential oils relies on steam distillation. Steam distillation uses dry steam to vaporize and extract the oil.
Lavender Value chain in EU - Depends of distillation structure near productive areas and high level of mechanization (weed control and harvesting) to be cultivated. - Opportunities for adding value for farmers and farm businesses: the essential oil itself, fresh flowers and plants, dried products, food and agro-tourism. - Easier farming, a moderate climate, the soil demand of the plant and high yield combined with state support have attracted many grain producers to become involved in the lavender business.
Lavender Value chain in EU
Industrial distillation
Plantation
HarvestingLavender Value Chain Added- value
Conclusions FG (MAP) MAP services provided to biodiversity The agronomy practises result in reduced need for soil disturbance and therefore habitat disturbance, while also reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides. The complexity of the canopy and diversity in a number of native industrial crops (lavender) also provides a benefit to wildlife, soil fauna and native avian species by increasing canopy cover, nesting areas and material, pollinating plants for insects and healthy soil interactions due to reduced agricultural interference.
Conclusions FG (MAP) Resource efficiencies Drought tolerant and require fewer chemical inputs, like fertilisers and fuels, due to their agronomy (perennial crops) Industrial crops on marginal land An example of marginal land being reassigned for industrial crops production occurred in Guadalajara in Spain where the dry, arid soils could not sustain sufficient yields of tillage crops and the land was subsequently abandoned. Lavender was trialled on the land and yielded well, achieving a good revenue for farmers. Co Cropping/intercropping, intermediate cropping Agroforestry can be used to grow both food crops and MAP crops, what could improve soil moisture retention.
Conclusions FG (MAP) Positive aspects MAP crops can be a key component of a fully circular biobased economy, sustainable throughout their life cycle. A number of infrastructural systems can be easily adapted by farmers to grow and harvest MAP crops. Negative aspects Lack of knowledge regarding the entire process chain may result in apprehension for extensive uptake of industrial crops. Materials can be sourced resulting in a chicken and egg scenario.
¡¡THANKS!!
No importa lo despacio que vayas, siempre
y cuando no te detengas. (Confucio)
Contact: jnavarroro@cita-aragon.esYou can also read
