Symrise and Van Aroma are expanding their sustainable patchouli programme, which began in Sulawesi in 2017, to another major Indonesian island of Sumatra
Symrise and Van Aroma are expanding their sustainable patchouli programme, which began in Sulawesi in 2017, to another major Indonesian island of Sumatra, from where patchouli originated. To this end, they have signed a memorandum of understanding with PT Sirukam Lumbung Nagari for the rejuvenation of cultivation in the region.
To date, the programme has given work to about 600 farmers in Sulawesi, while enabling Symrise to access high-quality and sustainable patchouli oil for use in fragrance ingredients. Extending it to Sumatra, where it has a unique woody sweet note, “adds further resilience to the supply chain”, the company said.
The programme aims to work with authorities and farming communities to promote the benefits of eco-friendly patchouli cultivation, which is vital for a crop that can remove nutrients from the soil fairly quickly. It also uses technology to reach and inform farmers by various means.
