LEMON GRASS OIL PRODUCTION

Oil of lemongrass is one of the most important essential oils. Large quantities are used for the extraction of citral the chief constitument of the oil. Citral is the starting material for the preparation of the important ionone’s (a series of armatics with a powerful violet odor).

Natural essential oils are volatile, fragrant and pleasant tasting oils obtained from leaves, roots, flowers and fruits.

They have wide applications in pharmaceutical, foods, perfumery and cosmetics.

A variety of Philippine plants have a high content of essential oils that are feasible for commercial production. These plants mature fast, requiring little maintenance and grow in almost all parts of the archipelago. The extraction of oil from these varieties poses no special problems and the end product is marketable both locally and abroad. Lemongrass, commonly referred to as “tanglad”, is an excellent source of essential oil. It grows abundantly in the Philippines and can be ultivated commercially. The characteristic aroma of lemongrass is ascribed to citral, which is the chief constituent of lemongrass oil. Citral is the starting material for the manufacture of ionones and is also used in the preparation of food flavors, cosmetics and perfumes. The fresh lemon-like odor of citronella oil is rich in alcohols and aldehydes (predominantly geranoil, citronellal and hydroxycitronellal).

OIL OF LEMON GRASS

Because of its high citral content (75-85 percent) the oil possesses a strong lemon odor whenever the name lemongrass.

The plant grows wild in many tropical and semitropical parts of Asia, Africa and America. For the extraction of its oil, howver only cultivated lemongrass is now employed the collection of wild growing plants being too costly.

The trade distinguishes between two principal types of lemon grass oil. viz., the East Indian and the so called West Indian oil. Both contain from 75 to 85 percent of aldehydes (chiefly citral) but the oils differ slightly in that the West Indian product is usually less soluble in 70 percent alcohol than the East Indian. The lower solubility of the West Indian oil, particularly noticeable after storage of the freshly distilled oil, is due to the presence in the foreruns of myreene and oiefinic terpene which on exposure to air and light readily polymerizes.

The East Indian oil is produced only in a small section of the southwestern part of India near the Malabar Coast. It is the older of the two types of oil,large quantities having been exported annuallu for many years. The Indian industrycultivation as well as distillation is utterly primitive,and entirely in the hands of natives. Nevertheless the East Indian oil has always been noted for its good quality and particularly its high citral content.

The high quality of the oil may be attributable to soil comditions and perhaps also to altitude and climate because the methods of cultivation and distillation employed in India cannot even be compared with those used for the production of the West Indian type of oil. ote probably however the good quality if the Indian oil is to be attributed to the plant species from which it derives.

INTRODUCTION
PROPERTY
EAST INDIAN LEMONGRASS OIL
PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES
USES AND APPLICATION
B.I.S. SPECIFICATION
MARKET SURVEY
EXPORT OF LEMONGRASS OIL
DETAILED EXPORT DATA OF ESSENTIAL OILS LEMONGRASS OIL
DETAILED IMPORT DATA OF LEMONGRASS OIL
MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS OF LEMON GRASS OIL
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM FOR THE EXTRACTION OF LEMONGRASS OIL
HANDLING & MARKETING OF THE OIL
RAW MATERIAL POSITION
PROCESS IN DETAILS
PLANT LAYOUT
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIAL
SUPPLIERS OF MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTS

APPENDIX – A:

1.      COST OF PLANT ECONOMICS
2.      LAND & BUILDING
3.      PLANT AND MACHINERY
4.      FIXED CAPITAL INVESTMENT
5.      RAW MATERIAL
6.      SALARY AND WAGES
7.      UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
8.      TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
9.      COST OF PRODUCTION
10.      PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS
11.      BREAK EVEN POINT
12.      RESOURCES OF FINANCE
13.      INTEREST CHART
14.      DEPRECIATION CHART
15.      CASH FLOW STATEMENT
16.      PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET