MENTHOL CRYSTAL PLANT

The commercial cultivation of the plants known as peppermint and spearmint, members of the genus mentha (Fam. labiatae), and the extraction processing and shipment of their oils, including menthol crystals, constitute an industry enrolling over $100 million in transactions each year. The mint plant are perennials yielding aromatic oils which are of increasing importance and have indeed long been a longest the world’s most valuable flavouring materials. Mint is probably the world’s third most important flavour being exceeded in popularity only vanilla and citrus flavours. The oils obtained by the relatively simple process of team distillation belong to a chemical class of plant product variably returned to as essential, volatile or ethereal oils, whose chemical composition consists almost entirely of hydrocarbon and oxygenated compounds known as terpenoids. The major terpene in peppermint oil is the alcohol menthol, accounting for the cooling sensation and that in spearmint oil is the letre carnone.

Economic variable also influence production levels. Mint growers can move into and out of mint production relatively easily since the land is suitable for several alternative crops and the production of mint is therefore influenced by the expected future price of the mint, usually based on past price levels, in comparison with the current and expected prices of compacting crops.

The quantity and quality of mint oil varies considerably from year to year. There are several factors contributing to these supply fluctuations, the most obvious one being the weather yields can also be influenced by husbandry practices, soils fertilisers usage, disease and pests, availability of suitable not stocks and the age of the mint plant. As regards the latter factor mentha species are perennials and other thing being equal, new plantings have lower average yields than two to three year old plants.
Menthol is crystalline substance with characteristics of pungent odour derived from the oil of the pepper mint plant ‘Mentha Piperita’.

The plant belong to Labiatae family which is very large family having annual and perennial herbs. Several species are shrubby or of climbing forms rarely small trees also. Members of the family are found throughout the world but the main area of plantation is Mediterranean region. The plants have square stems paired opposite leaves and tubular flowers with two lips. The leaves sometimes grow in wholes; the flowers may be white or shades of red, blue or purple. The family is well known for the aromatic volatility having oils in the foliage, which are used in perfumes, pharmaceutical products, confectionaries.

The true mints belong to the genus Mentha Piperita. The leaves and tops are sometimes deried and utilized for flavouring but its oil extracted is the main derivative having large commercial value.

The cultivation of Mentha Arvensis in India is a dramatic & very successful story. Before, 1964, there was no production of Mentha Oil & Menthol in India. The cultivation of Mentha Arvensis was started around 1870 in Japan so it is also called Japani Mint than extant in Brazil, China and Formosa etc. Col. Mr. R.N. Chopra & Dr. I.N. Chopra of Regional Research Laboratory Jammu Tawi first brought Mentha Arvensis in 1964 and with the best efforts of Mr. S.C. Bante, Managing Director, Hindustan Richardson Ltd (VICKs), the commercial cultivation could be started in India.

Menthol Producing Countries

Japan is supposed to be the pioneer in its commercial production before 1st World War and the species grown was ’Mentha Arvensis’. After 2nd World War Japanese shifted their commercial cultivativation and manufacturing to Brazil and South America. In Brazil Mint was grown at a very large scale and repeated harvest of the same crop was undertaken. This practice of repeated harvest of the crop gave an opportunity to Brazil become one of the major source of Menthol in world market. Simultaneously China also recognized the commercial significance of Menthol market and started its production under the State’s controlled arrangement’. Resultantly by the year 1960 China also became a new and major source of menthol for the world.

In present scenario, India is the largest producer of Mentha oil followed by the China. However China is No.1 in Menthol Crystal production followed by India.

Domestic Menthol Production

In India first distillation plant was installed at Bilaspur by a US based MNC in the year of 1973. Thereafter various local distilleries also came up at Sambhal, Chandausi and Moradabad. The survey conducted by Richardson Hindustan Ltd. determined that Tarai Area of Uttar‐Pradesh would be a suitable place for the cultivation of Mentha Arvensis. The crop of menthe was successfully grown and when the mentha oil was extracted by Steam distillation, mentha crop became a viable. Hindustan Richardson Ltd. established a distillation unit in BILASPUR of district Nanital, so confidently the Farmer could grow Mentha Herb. They had supplied the planting materials as well as given technical knowledge to grow the Mentha herb. As the result the area of mentha crops substantially increased in entire tarai and western districts of U. P. mainly Nanital, Rampur, Moradabad, Badaun, Bareilly and recently extended to eastern districts viz. Barabanki, Lucknow & sitapur districts.

India upto 1966 was the importer of menthol which continued up to 1986 but due to Green Revolution, which started in the year 1965. Plantation of the wonder crop was undertaken by the farmers of UP at Rampur which later on spread to various areas like Rudrapur, Bilaspur, Bareilly, Barabanki etc. Some other areas like Sitapur, Faizabad, Gonda and Baraich; these areas are counted within Barabanki.