ESSENTIAL OIL DEVELOPMENT AND POTENTIAL IN INDONESIA

Abstract

This study aims to determine the development and potential of essential oils in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method based on interviews and discussions with five expert resource persons, developers, and Essential oil business actors. This research study uses three stages, namely description, reduction, and selection. Research results: Essential oils are known as essential oils which consist of organic compounds with alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, and short-chain groups. The essential oil is in the form of a soft liquid, aromatic thick, and volatile. Essential oils are obtained from the extractor distillation of flowers, seeds, leaves, bark, wood, and roots of plants. Plants need to be processed to produce essential oils, where there are several types of processing with different technologies. Classical technology for essential oils there is three ways, namely pressing, solvent extraction, and distillation. And there is one method of processing essential oils that is environmentally friendly, namely using bentonite. Essential oils are needed in the perfume industry, cosmetic industry, pharmaceutical industry, food, and beverage industry. Indonesia's opportunities are wide in the Essential oil industry where abundant natural resources support Indonesia's active participation in competing with other countries in the Essential oil market. The large value of essential oil imports shows that the potential of the domestic market is still very wide open. There are still many ingredients containing essential oils there are traded in fresh form at low prices with the development of Essential oil processing technology that can be processed into essential oils with high selling values.