MARKET REPORT OCTOBER 2018

In India, Turmeric is harvested from January to March. The current growing conditions are favorable, without any major issues having been reported. The combination of favorable climatic conditions and sufficient ground water levels suggests that the 2019 crop is expected to be better than that of last year. The demand is stable as well as the prices, which are expected to remain the same until the next season.

In Russia, Fir needles are harvested from June to September. There are no issues with the growing conditions and the harvest yield is projected to be the same as the previous year. The demand is high and the market conditions are normal.

Globally, the harvest of Jojoba begins in the autumn months. There have not been any changes to the growing conditions, thus this year's yield has been the same as that of the previous year. For 2019, a higher yield is expected; however, it is too soon to have definite numbers. The worldwide demand for Jojoba is always growing, as its high oxidative stability, long shelf life, and natural antioxidant content make it a valuable ingredient that is often considered to have one of the best emollient effects.

In India, Pomegranates are harvested between September and October, but the seeds are available throughout the year. There are no issues with the current growing conditions and the harvest yield has remained the same as last year. There is increasing demand and, at present, the market conditions are stable.

In Indonesia, Cajeput is harvested year-round; however, during the rainy season, farmers halt distillation due to low yields. The current growing conditions are favourable in tropical countries. Compared to the last shortage, production has begun to improve. The local demand is strong with Cajeput being widely used in the domestic market for physiotherapy purposes. There is an anticipated growth in demand as the international market starts to use Cajeput in the essential oils industry. The shortage in Eucalyptus Oil is responsible for the recent increase in demand for Cajeput Oil. The current market conditions are good.

In India, the perennial Palmarosa crop is harvested every 2-2½ months. The unstable climate and rainy conditions in some growing regions have caused a gap in production, which is expected to resume after a month. The yield will be low during the monsoon season and winter months. The prolonged heat/summer temperatures and the lack of water during early 2018 led to a poor crop yield and thus resulted in low production. The demand is stable with a slight upward trend. The market is also showing a slightly upward due to the delay in arrivals and the gap in production caused by rain in the growing region.

In India, the Cardamom crop season begins in August and continues until February. In August 2018, flooding in the main growing region in Kerala caused a huge loss of crops. Compared to 2017's production of 22 000 MT, the annual production in 2018 is expected to be lower at 16 000 MT. The market conditions are volatile and the price has drastically increased. The next season of demand would be during the Indian festival season, between October and December.

In Bulgaria, roses are harvested between May and June. The 2018 growing conditions were favorable for the roses. Most of the roses in Bulgaria are processed into Rose Otto (Rose Oil) with a very limited quantity turned into Rose Absolute. The demand is around 150 kg/year and the current market conditions are stable.