In news– Families in the coastal pockets of Odisha‘s Ganjam district have been eking out a living by preparing aromatic kewda oil for years, and a recent growth in demand has put a smile on their faces.
What is kewda oil?
- Ganjam kewda (Pandanus fascicularis) oil is steam-distilled from the flower of the aromatic screwpine plant and used as an aromatic in the food industry and other sectors.
- Kewda Oil is registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 by the Government of India.
- For around 200,000 people living in 220 villages of the district, it is the main source of income.
- Kewda oil makers sell to Kannauj, Agra, Kanpur, New Delhi, Mumbai and other places at around Rs 5 lakh a litre.
About Kewda flower-
- Kewda orkevra or kewra fragrance is mainly extracted from the male flowers.
- The flower grows on small trees and shrubs. The plant can be cultivated as well as can be seen growing in the wild in the coastal area.
- The tree or shrub can reach over 18 feet. The plant has aerial roots as well, these are formed especially when it is growing in the wild and need Oxygen. It has thorns as well.
- A fully developed kewda tree would produce spikes consisting of 30-40 flowers, each weighing about 6 inches.
- The male and female flowers are produced on different plants. The male flowers are called Ketaki Viphala and female flowers are called Swarna Ketaki in Sanskrit.
- The plant flowers three times a year, in summer, monsoon and winter.
- July-September or monsoon season is the best time for the flowers to bloom, with 60 percent flowers growing in the season.
- The flower is harvested from around 5,000 hectares in the district. Its oil is produced in Ganjam, Chatrapur, Chikiti and Rangeilunda blocks of the district.
- An oil maker needs 30,000 flowers to extract a litre of kewda oil.
Source: Down To Earth
