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Iran

Roses, cumin, and anise

We have been purchasing organic rose oil from Iran for many years. The Iranian rose oil is usually a so-called "first oil", which settles on top of the rose water as an oil film after the first distillation. The rose water has a great popularity in Iran and is used as such. This first oil is therefore to be considered as a "by-product" of rose water production. It has higher content of wax in compared to "second oil". Second rose oil extracted by a second distillation from the rose water and after mixing with the first oil results in classic rose oil, as known from Bulgaria, for example. However, the first oil also contains significantly less methyl. That’s why it is particularly interesting for our customers.

 

We collaborate with several partners in Iran. In 2020 we launched a project to grow organic anise, organic cumin, organic fennel, and organic peppermint, with more crops to follow.

Rose farm 1 IR

 It is particularly challenging for us to obtain pesticide-free products. This is due to the ubiquitous conventional agriculture, which makes it increasingly difficult to produce clean organic products worldwide - including Iran. Pesticides can easily drift 1000 m away in the air and endanger the entire harvested crops on the organic areas, therefore the products meet no longer meet the strict requirements of our mostly German customers. We advise our partners in Iran intensively on how to avoid pesticide contamination. The strategies range from the choice of area to binding agreements with conventional neighbors to the creation of buffer areas that are not marketed as "organic". Planting hedges and rows of trees to protect against drift is also an effective way.

 

 Rose Office is also connected by an interesting project to rose growers from Kerman, which has to do with the reuse of waste products from rose production. At the end of the distillation process from the rose blossom to the coveted rose oil, there is a kind of rose mash. This rose pulp usually gets thrown away, in the best case composted. Not so in Iran! The growers in Kerman have found a most meaningful use: the pulp is dried in brick molds in the sun. The result is rose bricks or briquettes that are used for heating and smell delicately of roses.

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