“Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh: Pain relief balm is a quick remedy for headache, muscle aches, joint pain, and itching. Ever wondered what brings quick relief to millions?

Menthol oil!

India is a major exporter of menthol oil and nearly 75 per cent of the country’s menthol crop is cultivated in Uttar Pradesh. However, early heatwaves this year in March dealt a huge blow to menthol crop, as farmers complained of low production. The sudden rise in the heat led to stunted growth of the mentha plant affecting the overall oil production, which was also reported by Gaon Connection.

However, there are a bunch of mentha (menthol) farmers in Uttar Pradesh, who, despite the early heatwaves and vagaries of weather, have managed to double their menthol oil production. By using high quality seeds and System of Root Intensification (SRI) method of menthol production, these farmers have earned additional profits.

We provided good quality CIM Unnati seeds to farmers, advised them to grow crops using the SRI method and use Single Super Phosphate to increase oil content in the plant. All this has greatly benefited the farmers,” Murari Kumar Jha, Manager, TRIF Mihinpurwa, told Gaon Connection. This initiative of increasing menthol oil production is being led by Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF) in collaboration with the government’s National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).

“Farmers used to say there cannot be production of more than ten kilos of oil in one bigha land, but now this perception has changed. We are aiming to increase the average production to up to twenty kilos,” smiled Jha. One bigha land equals 0.619 acre or 0.25 hectare or 800 metre square.

The mentha crop is generally sowed during February-March and the crop is ready to harvest in June-July. The crop is then dried in the sun for a day and oil is then extracted from the dried crop through the distillation process. The oil is sold at about Rs 1,000 per litre to traders.