Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo)

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International Link and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies for a fair, human, sustainable and inclusive development Andrea Primavera (Herbs value chain

1 International Link and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies for a fair, human, sustainable and inclusive development Andrea Primavera (Herbs value chain Expert) Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) (13/08/2013) Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 1

2 1. The standard value chain The products Kinds of product According with this LED approach, the main products of the Herbs value chain are represented by the officinal plants (medical plants, aromatic plants, perfume plants), other kinds of plants and herbs, that are rich in bio chemical principles having useful properties for handicraft or industrial utilization. Therefore, where existing, the standard Herbs value chain can generally give the kinds of product listed in the following table 1. Raw and fresh products Main products Fresh flowers, leaves, roots, whole plants of wild and farmed officinal plants, wild and farmed other kinds of plants and herbs. Nursery plants Other products Byproducts Production waste for biogas production for compost production Processed and/or preserved products Dried products Crushed and/or cut dried products Frozen products Freeze dried products Essential oils Hydrosols Extracts (in oil and alcohol) Natural dyes from vegetables Active principles Cosmetic products Food supplements Herbal medicine products Table 1 Products of a standard Herbs value chain Standard characteristics of the products The knowledge of some general information about specific products (beyond the fresh and dried products) of the standard value chain is here considered necessary. a) Freeze dried products The freeze drying process develops itself in an environment characterized by lowest temperatures and high vacuum, so that the water contained in the previously frozen product sublimate and change its physical state from solid to steam. The appearance of the freeze dried aromatic herbs on the markets is relatively recent. 1 The description of the standard value chains provides elements of comparison in order to identify the evolutionary possibilities of the local value chain. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 2

3 The utilization of the freeze drying process for the herbs has been introduced in order to cause less structural modification in the products as possible, so o leaving their organoleptic properties of flavour, taste and colour almost unchanged, o leaving their nutritional properties practically unaltered, guarantee a better hygienicity and a stronger protection against microorganisms than the mere drying up process, guarantee a rapid and complete rehydrability of the products, obtain long life products, ordinarily storable at room temperature, obtain easily transportable products, since they o are very light, o haven't to respect any cold chain rule. Therefore, a freeze dried herb is a much more valuable product than the same just dried herb, from any point of view except the production costs, but these latter are abundantly compensated by a higher retail price recognized by the markets, the same just frozen herb, because it is easier to be transported and, in many cases, cheaper, if in the balance also the costs due to the respect of the cold chain in transportation and storage are considered in charge of the frozen herb. Furthermore, the aromatic power of 1g of a freeze dried herb is more or less the same of the aromatic power of 5g of the same fresh herb. b) Essential oils An essential oil (or volatile oil, or ethereal oil, or aetheroleum) is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. It can be also indicated simply as the "oil of" the plant from which it has been extracted. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence (and, with it, many active principles) of the plant. The essences are produced by the plants and can accomplish many functions of human utility, from the simpler capacity of giving aromatic tastes to the foods to the more complex of antibiotic kind. In nature, they are pollinator attractors, allelopathic agents, intermediaries of energetic reactions. The essential oils can be produced through two main processes: distillation and expression. Distillation It is a very simple process. Raw plant material (flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seeds, peel, etc.) is put into an alembic over water. As the water is heated, the steam passes through the plant material, vaporizing the volatile compounds. The vapours flow through a coil, where they condense back to liquid, which is then collected in the receiving vessel. The most common essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, are mainly produced through distillation. Also the re condensed water (that is a byproduct of the process it can be called hydrosol, hydrolat, herbal distillate or plant water essence) has a recognized commercial value. For example, the utilization of herbal distillates in cosmetics is increasing. Expression Today, only some kinds of essential oils are produced through a mechanic expression of the raw material, than can be also cold pressed (similarly to the production of the olive oil) in order to produce the oil.. Citrus oils, for instance, are produced through expression, because of the relatively large quantities of oil in citrus peel. The low cost to grow and harvest the raw materials makes citrus fruit oils cheaper than most other essential oils. Furthermore, this kind of production represents a good way to effectively utilize the byproducts of the citrus industry. c) Extracts The process of extraction is carried out through the utilization of a solvent. During the period of infusion of the product (flower, leaves, root, whole plant) in a solvent substance (mainly an oil or an alcohol or more likely a mixture of water and ethylic alcohol), the essences and the active principles of the plant dissolve themselves in the solvent. d) Natural dyes Many herbs can be used in order to produce natural dyes, whose utilisation in the handicraft productions of the Textiles value chain is a strong reason of added value. e) Food, cosmetic, medical products The active principles contained by herbs can be used in order to produce natural medicines, food supplements, cosmetics, both through industrial and handicraft processes. f) Varieties of herbs on Dragash Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 3

4 Many varieties of wild germplasms having officinal or other properties have been identified 2 in the geographic area of Dragash. They are listed as follows: Big Root Cranesbills (Geranium macrorrhizum) Black Locust Tree (Bagrem, Robinia pseudoacacia), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) Camomile (Kamomili, Matricaria chamomilla), Carline Thistle (Carlina acaulis), Coltsfoot (Thundër mushke, Tussilago farfara), Common Balm (Bari i bletës, Melissa officinalis), Common Bearberry (Rrush arusha, Arctostaphyllos uva ursi), Common Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) Common Chicory (Bresa, Cichorium intibus), Common Dandelion (Luleshrudhamjekësore, Taraxacum officinale), Common Hawthorn (Murrizi njëbërthamor, Crataegus monogyna) Common Juniper (Dëllinja e zezë, Juniperus communis), Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis) Common Yarrow (Çai Bjeshke, Achillea millefolium), Cowslip (Agulicja, Primula veris) Creeping Thyme (Krasta, Thymus serpyllum) Deadly Nightshade (Helmarina, Atropa belladonna), Dog Rose (Trëndafili I egër, Rosa canina), English Daisy (Bellis perennis), European Crab Apple (Mollë e eger, Malus sylvestris), Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), Germander (Teucrium monthanum) Grecian Foxglove (Luletogëza leshtake, Digitalis lanata), Green winged Orchid (Orchis morio) Herb Robert Geranium (Geranium robertianum) Horsetail (Këputja e arës, Equisetum arvense), Littleleaf Linden (Bliri gjethvogël, Tilia cordata) Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus) Mistletoe (Viscum album) Monkshood (Aconitum napellus), Mugwort (Arthemisia vulgaris), Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) Nana Juniper (Juniperus nana), Oregano (Rigoni I zakonshëm, Origanum vulgare) Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) Oxlip (Primula elatior) Prickly Juniper (Dëllinja e kuqe, Juniperus oxycedrus), Red Centaury (Bar i ethes, Centaurium erythrea), Rose (Rosa sp.) Saint John's wort (Lulja e ballsamit të shpuar, Hypericum perforatum), Silver Birch (Meshtekna, Betula pendula), Spotted Gentian (Gentiana punctata), Stinging Nettle (Hithra, Urtica dioica), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) Yellow Bedstraw (Ngjitësja e vërtetë, Galium verum) Yellow Gentian (Lincura, Gentiana lutea), Wall Germander (Arresi dushkvogël Teucrium chamaedrys) White Butterbur (Petasites albus) White Hellebore (Veratrum album) White willow (Shelgu, Salix alba) Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum), Wild Mint (Mentha longifolia) Wild Violet (Manushaqe, Viola tricolor), Willow Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea), 2 See also "INVENTARI BIMËT MJEKËSORE AROMATIKE DHE PEMËT FRUTORE TË EGRA NË KOSOVË", by Prof. Prof. Dr. Fadil Millaku, released in the frame of "Promovimi i Hortikulturës në Kosovë" Project. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 4

5 Certification a) Food safety (HACCP rules) The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point ) system represents the basic European standard for food safety. It has been introduced in Europe in 1993 (directive 43/93/CEE), and its enforcement in all food productions and transformation activities is actually required by 852/2004 and 853/2004 regulations. b) Quality (ISO rules) The ISO rules are international rules elaborated and established by the International Standardization Organization (ISO). The ISO 9001 rule is specifically dedicated to establish the requirements (related to all productive processes and to any aspects of the products) of a system in order to be defined a quality system. ISO is a specific application of quality assurance to foodstuff, shortly can be described as ISO 9001 plus HACCP. c) Organicity The organic certification is the results of an accreditation process (for example, the process established by European Regulation 2092/91 upgraded by 834/07 Regulation) to be followed by the producers intended to produce organic products. d) Halal products Halal Certification is a recognition that the products are permissible under Islamic law. These products are thus edible, drinkable or usable by Muslims. This kind of certification is a preference (or, in some cases, necessary) condition, for the products, in order to be allowed on the markets of Muslim Countries Organization and interactions Involved actors The Herbs value chain ideally goes from the biodiversity of different forestry territorial ecosystems to the final commercialization of fresh, raw and processed products. The following table 2 shows the Local Actors generally involved in the standard Herbs value chain. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 5

6 Territorial Thematic Areas Sectors Actors Administrative Institutional Local Governments Regional Government. Municipalities, Communes. Economical Cultural Financial Productive Primary Productive Secondary Productive Tertiary Social groups representation Enterprises representation Research Job training Information and communications Credit services. Farmers and gatherers of herbs. Vegetable oil production. Food processing. Distilleries. Chemical productions (food supplements, pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetic industries and artisans, etc.) Packaging. Consulting Services (Quality Certification, Organic Certification, Food Safety, Sectorial and Territorial Brand building). Transportation. Local, domestic, regional (Balkans), extra regional trade activities. Associations of the citizens of rural areas. Associations of producers. Chamber of commerce. Botanic research. Food and nutrition research. Chemical applied research. Pharmaceutical research. Cosmetic research. Sustainable gathering activities training. Farming activities (basic training and specialization). Processing training. Enterprise building and management training. Conventional and digital promotion and communication. Table 2 Local Actors involved in the standard Herbs value chain Interactions with other dynamics The following table 3 shows the first order interactions between the standard Herbs value chain and some other dynamics. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 6

7 Gastronomy (sector) Dynamics Food, chemical, biological and pharmaceutical industries (sectors) Culture (Local Cultural System) Forest (value chain) Fruit and Vegetables (value chain) Bees (value chain) Water management (basic network) Energy management (basic network) Waste management (basic network) Interaction issues Utilization of products in cooking and in pastry making. Utilization of the products in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical productions. Research in botany, agriculture sciences, medicine, pharmacology, human nutrition sciences. Job training. Food education. Optimization of the use of the lands. Optimization of the use of the lands. Conversion and innovation in agricultural activities. Fruition of biodiversity. Support and increasing of biodiversity. Optimization of the use of the spaces. Integrated water management for - farming, - processing activities. Energy for - farming, - processing activities. Integrated solid waste management for - farming, - processing activities. Maintenance of the gathering areas. Table 3 Interactions of a standard Herbs value chain Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 7

8 2. The local value chain The products Identified local raw/fresh products The local fresh products are listed as follows. a) Herbs and berries gathered from wild Achillea millefolium Aesculus hippocastanum Arnica montana Althea officinalis Allium ursinum Artemisia absintium Artemisia vulgaris Arctostaphyllos uva ursi Betula pendula Bellis perennis Calendula officinalis Centaurium umbellatum Crataegus monogyna Crocus sativus Fragaria vesca Hedera helix Hypericum perforatum Juniperus communis Malus sylvestris Matricaria chamomilla Melissa officinalis Origanum vulgare Primula veris Primula elatior Prunus spinosa Rosa canina Rosmarinus officinalis Rubus fruticosus Rubus idaeus Sambucus nigra Satureja montana Salvia officinalis Taraxacum officinale Tilia argentea Tilia cordata Tussilago farfara Urtica dioica 3 The description of the local value chains provides the actual condition of the value chain in Dragaš evaluated at the actual state of the actionresearch. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 8

9 Vaccinium myrtillus Viola odorata b) Farmed herbs Primula elatior Identified local processed products a) Dried products dried roots, bark, etc. of: Achillea millefolium Arnica montana Althea officinalis Allium ursinum Artemisia absintium Artemisia vulgaris Arctostaphyllos uva ursi Betula pendula Bellis perennis Crataegus monogyna Crocus sativus Hedera helix Hypericum perforatum Juniperus communis Malus sylvestris Origanum vulgare Primula veris Primula elatior Rosa canina Rubus fruticosus Rubus idaeus Sambucus nigra Satureja montana Salvia officinalis Taraxacum officinale Tilia argentea Tilia cordata Tussilago farfara Urtica dioica Vaccinium myrtillus Viola odorata Dried fruits and berries of: Crataegus monogyna Juniperus communis Malus sylvestris Rosa canina Sambucus nigra Vaccinium myrtillus Hand sorted products. Hand sorted leaves of: Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 9

10 Althea officinalis Allium ursinum Arctostaphyllos uva ursi Betula pendula Crataegus monogyna Fragaria vesca Hedera helix Primula veris Primula elatior Satureja montana Salvia officinalis Tussilago farfara Urtica dioica Vaccinium myrtillus Hand sorted flowers of: Achillea millefolium Bellis perennis Crataegus monogyna Hypericum perforatum Primula veris Primula elatior Sambucus nigra Tilia argentea Tilia cordata b) Crushed and/or cut dried products c) Frozen products berries of Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) for extraction. d) Freeze dried products e) Essential oils f) Hydrosols g) Extracts h) Natural dyes from vegetables i) Active principles j) Cosmetic products Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 10

11 k) Food supplements l) Herbal medicine products 2.2. Product calendar map Each herb has its own balsamic time, when its maximum level of beneficial or aromatic compounds is reached. Every plant must be collected in this time of it. The following table 4 gives some generic indications on the harvesting time of the plants identified. Product Period of harvest Location Flowers (arnica, chamomile, etc.) Flowering time, summer. Alpine and subalpine municipal areas. Herbs and leafy plants (achillea, mint) Tree and bush leaf (betula) At the maximum development of the leaf, before flowering buds appear. (April May but, when farmed, end of June, end of July, half of September). At the maximum development of the leaf, before mid summer Alpine and subalpine municipal areas. Alpine and subalpine municipal areas. Barks (willow) April May Alpine and subalpine municipal areas. Roots (taraxacum, gentiana) October January Light forest and meadow municipal areas. Juniperus berry November January Alpine and subalpine municipal areas. Bilberry July August At moderate elevation municipal areas, close to the roads and in the field and forest sides. Rosehips September October Light forest and meadow municipal areas. Wild apples July September Field and forest margin municipal areas. Wild plums July August Field and forest margin municipal areas. Table 4 Times and places of the Herbs products Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 11

12 3. Outlook 3.1. Potential local productions a) Fresh aromatic herbs The market of the fresh herbs is relevant Europe wide. Supplying this international market needs: the availability of a fully organized logistic system, in order to export the product to the main hubs (Milan, Paris, London, Rotterdam); a production able to ensuring a 50 week per year supply (to cover the market needs in an optimized way). These market characteristics represent a significant advantage for many Mediterranean producer Countries, like Morocco, Tunisia or Israel. Even Italy plays a little role in this market. Since their competition on international scale is very strong, the only chance for the fresh aromatic herbs could be represented by the foreseeable increase of the local market due to the institution of the Natural Park of the Sharr region. Therefore, a good possibility could lie in supplying local restaurants, bars and vegetable markets with fresh and tasty herbs, like basil, parsley, thyme, savory, etc., whose flavour mainly belongs to the "foreign" taste. In order to be introduced, these herbs must be cultivated. b) Dried semi processed products Without being prepared or manipulated in some way, bulk raw material, whole herbs, roots, have a very narrow way to reach the market. Only few Companies (mainly settled in Germany and Italy) are equipped with crushing, threshing, cutting systems, and they can deliver the proper sort to the customers. Consequently, those Companies can play in this sector as monopolists. Introducing new semi processed products, as tea cut, powders and crushed herbs, can allow the Kosovo Companies to progressively break up this monopoly on local scale, thanks to the possibilities of quickly reaching a large whole of customers in the Country. Investing in not so big and expensive processing equipments can also lead to further steps of product process innovation. c) Extracts and essential oils Essential oils and extracts have their own market, that is totally different from the dried herbs one. Extracts (as solvent extracts, tinctures, dried extracts and similar) need a very strong support by certification and chemical qualification of the product. A necessary (but not sufficient) condition to sell these kinds of products consists in adequately proving the quality of the products and of the processes, since their demand is represented by very skilled customers. Moreover, the extraction process need also some investment whose repayment by profits is happens in a medium long term. On the other hand, steam distillation of essential oils and hydrosol production, being more simple than solvent extraction and traditional in the nearest Countries, is the most suitable process that can be realized in Kosovo. d) Finished products Some finished products are really easy to be realized and proposed to the local shops and customers. Tea, herbal infusions, pout pourri (moss, ferns, dried herbs, perfumed) can be locally done starting from semi processed dried herbs, and are easily mixable and packable. But it has to be told that packing dried and crushed herbs needs some not so cheap equipments. Before making big investments for purchasing these latter, a manufacturing contract for the mere packaging can be stipulated with some already existing and adequately equipped Enterprise in Kosovo (i.e. Herbapharma). Also essential oils can be introduced as new local finished products, since they can be easily produced, bottled and sold (mainly abroad or to the tourists, since the local consumers should be educated to use and appreciate them). These kinds of product need a significant promotion: the local skills in commercial communication (advertising, graphics, packaging, etc.) have to be increased and improved. e) Formulated products Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 12

13 The market of formulated products, as herbal remedies, pills, tablets, beverages, cosmetics, ethic drugs, perfumes and any similar finished product containing herbs and/or derivatives is very large both in Europe and USA. These products seem to be the most widespread form of consumption of herbs derivatives, together with tea. Designing and realizing these kinds of products need a top level skill in the field of chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or food science. Nevertheless, locally simple formulated products can be realized, thanks to a little skill and through simple equipments. The added value of these products can be very high, as the interest that the customers can dedicate to them. Synergies with some bee products can be developed, especially in cosmetics production Proposed actions for innovation, replacement, quality improvement In order of priority and chronologically, the following points apply: Promote awareness of the value of the local environment and products Provide training for technical skill, both for production and processing Promote association Fund and promote local processing facilities Provide services for all the above to work at best, and for marketing and advertising. Promote general culture on use of natural products for the wellbeing and personal care. Andrea Primavera Products, calendar, map of the Herbs value chain in Dragash (Kosovo) 13

27 OMORFOKKLISIAS ST., , MAROUSI-ATHENS, GREECE PRODUCT CERTIFICATE

27 OMORFOKKLISIAS ST., , MAROUSI-ATHENS, GREECE PRODUCT CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATE Certificate Code: BG-60654/Ε2 The Inspection Institute for Organic Products BIO Hellas, an accredited Inspection and Certification Body for organic agriculture products, according to the decision