Indian Essential Oil Library

Palmarosa

Cymbopogon martinii is a geraniol-rich aromatic grass. CSIR-CIMAP lists CIM-Harsh as a high-geraniol variety at about 94% geraniol. ICAR-DMAPR documents commercial cultivation in North Gujarat, including farmer-level steam distillation. The documented ICAR case reports approximately ₹1.50 lakh/ha/year net returns from Palmarosa and more than 50% savings in labour, inputs and irrigation compared with the farmer's previous system. Residue after oil extraction was used as animal feed and fuel.

Buyer evidence required: botanical identity, variety, harvest stage, fresh/dry biomass basis, distillation record, GC/GC-MS geraniol profile, density/refractive index where specified, pesticide/residue status and batch traceability.

Jamarosa

ICAR-DMAPR's North Gujarat case records Jamarosa cultivation beginning in 2017–18, with a documented farmer enterprise and steam-distillation facility. The same source reports approximately ₹1.59 lakh/ha/year net returns. The farmer was establishing fractionation capability for separation of geraniol or geranyl acetate from the essential oil.

Commercial distinction: Jamarosa should not be collapsed into generic Palmarosa data. The crop identity, oil profile and fractionation output must be documented independently.

Lemongrass — Cymbopogon flexuosus

CSIR-CIMAP lists Krishna with citral content of 75–80%. ICAR's documented Pragati/LS48 enterprise uses a 500-L direct-steam unit, a 3.5–4 hour batch cycle and an oil recovery of 0.4%, equivalent to 4 kg per tonne of fresh biomass in that case. The resulting oil contained 74–78% citral. ICAR reports gross income of ₹1.56 lakh/ha, total cost of ₹50,178, net return of ₹1.06 lakh/ha and a B:C ratio of 3.12 for the documented enterprise.

Standards: ISO 4718:2004 covers oil of C. flexuosus. Do not substitute the specification of C. citratus merely because both are called lemongrass.

Lemongrass — Cymbopogon citratus

ISO 3217:1974 is the current ISO standard for oil of C. citratus. It specifies relative density at 20/20 °C of 0.872–0.897, refractive index at 20 °C of 1.4830–1.4890, optical rotation from −3 to +1 and carbonyl compounds expressed as citral at a minimum of 75%. Freshly distilled oil is specified as soluble in 70% V/V ethanol.

Important: these are specification values for C. citratus under ISO 3217, not a generic “lemongrass oil” range.

Citronella — Cymbopogon winterianus

CSIR-CIMAP lists Manjari as suitable for the Gangetic plains with citronellal content around 45%. CIAP-Bio 13 is listed with high tiller-regeneration potential and citronellal at 35–38%. These are variety-specific technical data and should be used as benchmarks when qualifying Indian cultivation material.

Commercial requirement: identify the species and variety; determine the full GC profile rather than purchasing on the word “citronella” alone.

Vetiver / Khus

Chrysopogon zizanioides is a root-derived aromatic crop. CSIR-CIMAP lists KS-1 with a one-year cultivation period and oil-yield potential of 20–25 kg/ha. Root oil differs fundamentally from leaf-derived grass oils in raw-material handling, harvest and distillation logistics.

Commercial requirement: specify root origin, age at harvest, washing/cleaning practice, drying or conditioning, distillation method and analytical profile.

Geranium

Pelargonium graveolens is represented in CSIR-CIMAP data by CIM-Bio 171 and CIM-Pawan. CIM-Bio 171 is listed at 40–50 kg/ha oil yield with geranoil content around 21%; CIM-Pawan is listed at about 50 kg/ha oil yield and geranoil around 21%.

Commercial requirement: record the exact botanical material and variety, because geranium oils are chemically variable and common-name identification is insufficient.

Peppermint

Mentha × piperita is one of the most important Indian mint oils. CSIR-CIMAP lists CIM-Madhuras at 120–125 kg/ha oil yield, CIM-Patra with menthofuran at 35–46% and Kukrail with menthol at 34.5%. ISO 856:2006 covers peppermint oil and explicitly considers India among the origins addressed by the standard.

Commercial requirement: menthol, menthone, menthofuran and the remainder of the GC profile should be evaluated together; one marker alone does not establish peppermint authenticity or quality.

Rose — Rosa damascena

CSIR-CIMAP lists Noorjahan as suitable for north Indian plains and hills, with citronellol 20.8% and geraniol 25.3%. Rani Sahiba is listed with synchronous flowering, high flower biomass and geraniol at 30–35%. These figures are variety-specific references.

Commercial requirement: rose oil, rose absolute and rose hydrosol must be treated as different products with different extraction methods, compositions and commercial specifications.

How Sabhya will qualify an oil

Primary sources

• CSIR-CIMAP Information Brochure
• ICAR-DMAPR North Gujarat Palmarosa/Jamarosa case
• ICAR Lemongrass Oil Enterprise
• ISO 856:2006 — peppermint oil
• ISO 4718:2004 — C. flexuosus lemongrass oil
• ISO 3217:1974 — C. citratus lemongrass oil