Essential oil production in East Congo (Ituri)

After years of civil war and instability, the district of Ituri in East Congo is gradually coming back to life. During colonial times, rose geranium was already cultivated in the highlands of Eastern Congo, yielding high quality rose geranium essential oil.

Thanks to a joined partnership between a local entrepreneur (Avituri) and a French company specialised in essential oil production (Nateva), a former colonial “concession” has been turned into one of the main producers worldwide of organic rose geranium essential oil.

The farm now employs 250 persons and has been certified “Fair for Life” (fair trade and social responsibility) by IMO Switzerland.

Walter De Boeck has just returned from Congo and has been involved in driving this initiative since its inception. Walter is IN2N’s resource person on cultivation, extraction and distillation of herbs and essential oils.

For more information on this project at Avituri.com.