Rural Romania National Rural Development Network ISSUE 15 Year II, January 2015 VIOREL MORĂRESCU The medicinal herb sector is not currently being exploited, although it has an enormous potential in the field HARVESTING HERBAL MEDICINAL PRODUCTS SIMION FLORIAN we are extremely proud that people have begun to rediscover plafar Lavender culture – the purple hue on the aromatic herb market in Romania Andrei Barbu – from computers, to aromatic herb cultures ROOTS OF AN EUROPEAN COUNTRY Ministerul Agriculturii și Dezvoltării Rurale Rural Romania – no. 15 REGIONAL OFFICES Support Unit for the National Network of Rural Development BRĂILA No. 282 Independenței Blvd., 1st Floor, postal code 810124, [email protected] Tel.: 0339 732 009, Fax: 0339 732 016 CRAIOVA No. 19 Libertății Str., postal code 200421, [email protected] Tel.: 0251 460 377, Fax: 0251 423 651 ZALĂU No. 49 Kossuth Lajos Str., postal code 450010, [email protected] Tel.: 0360 404 056, Fax: 0360 404 158 TÂRGU MUREȘ No. 60 Mihai Eminescu Str., postal code 540331, [email protected] Tel.: 0365 430 349, Fax: 0365 430 351 IAȘI Ciric Recreation Area – Ciric Recreation Complex, postal code 700064, [email protected] Tel.: 0332 881 281, Fax: 0332 881 282 TIMIȘOARA No. 53 Take Ionescu Blvd., 2nd Floor, Office 26, postal code 300074, [email protected] Tel.: 0356 460 982, Fax: 0356 460 983 TÂRGOVIȘTE No. 7A Vărzaru Armașu Str., postal code 130169, [email protected] Tel.: 0345 100 605, Fax: 0345 100 025 BUCHAREST No. 39-41 Nicolae Filipescu Str., 6th Floor, 2nd District, postal code 020961, [email protected] Tel.: 0316 900 214, Fax: 0316 900 215 The text of this publication is for information purposes only and is not legally binding. Additional information on MARD and NSU may be accessed on the Internet: www.rndr.ro NSU, Publications Department, January 2015 ISSN 2393 – 123X ISSN-L 2393 – 123X © NRDN, 2015 The reproduction of texts in this publication is authorized provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Romania. Copyright photos: Cristian-Alexandru Catană, Monica Anghelovici, MARD, LAG Valea Muntelui, LAG Colinele Buzăului, Research Station – Vâlcea Development for Fruit-growing, Romanian Peasant Museum, www.fao.org, www.grune.de. Table of contents EDITORIAL ............................................................................................................................................................................... 3 INTERVIEW Viorel Morărescu: The medicinal herb sector is currently insufficiently exploited, although it has an enormous potential in the field .................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 RURAL DEVELOPMENT A Romania of medicinal and aromatic herbs ......................................................................................................................... 8 Lavender cultures – the purple hue on the aromatic herb market in Romania ...................................................................12 Harvesting medicinal herbs ...................................................................................................................................................14 Essential oils, an attractive business providing beauty and relaxation ...............................................................................18 Calendar – Festivals at the dawn of a new year .................................................................................................................... 20 Simion Florian: We are extremely proud that people have begun to rediscover Plafar ...................................................... 22 Andrei Barbu - from computers to aromatic herb cultures .................................................................................................. 26 PEOPLE Lăcrămioara Ionescu, popular artisan of Argeș – lavender bags, hand sewn with Muscel artistry .................................. 28 EXPERIENCES My farm: Victorița Meiroșu has started a ”perfumed” lavender growing business in Dâmbovița .................................. 30 My business: „Casa Matei” Guest House in Berca – hospitality and refinement on the Buzău River shore .................. 32 My community:Capitalization upon medicinal and aromatic herbs harvested from non-polluted areas in Transylvania ........................................................................................................................................................................... 36 UP-TO-DATE LEADER Valea Muntelui LAG ............................................................................................................................................................... 40 Colinele Buzăului LAG ........................................................................................................................................................... 42 News and Events News........................................................................................................................................................................................ 44 Gathering of Local Action Group representatives and MARD & AFIR officials in Sinaia .................................................. 46 NRDN members introduce Themselves ....................................................................................................................50 1 Rural Romania – no. 15 2 Editorial Growing medicinal and aromatic herbs, a profitable endeavor Medicinal and aromatic herbs have been used since Antiquity, being rec- ognized for their seemingly miracu- lous properties. Due to their game- ness in curing or mending diseases, we’ve chosen to introduce the read- ers of this issue to the producers and processors of medicinal herbs such as Hofigal, Dacia Plant and Fares. And since we’ve mentioned lavender, restaurants so as to ingrain a special We haven’t forgotten about Plafar, a due to its intense, medicinally potent a special touch to their dishes. The company which reigned supreme in and stress relieving perfume, this is- owners of the „Casa Matei” guest this field before 1989. An interview sue will teach us the form in which it house in Berca share recipes from with Simion Florian, director of Pla- may be showcased so as to sweeten the area’s specific gastronomy which far, introduces us to information on entails the use of aromatic herbs. the evolution of society and on the our homes, from the very artisan of novelties brought by the company to Argeș, fondly sewing her lavender The pages of this issue provide in- the medicinal herb product market. bags. Moreover, we will make a foray sight on the manner in which the through the lavender cultures in our We will learn about the support harvesting of medicinal and aromat- country. granted to this field through NRDP ic herbs represents a solution to ser- (National Program for Rural Devel- With regards to aromatic herbs, vices such as recreation, team build- opment) from Mr. Viorel Morărescu, due to their medicinal and culinary ing and retreats within guest houses general manager of the General Di- traits, many of them are intensely in the rural areas. rectorate for Food Industry within sought after on the Romanian Mar- Aside from the pleasant universe of MARD. ket. The largest cultures in our coun- medicinal and aromatic herbs, we The therapeutic use range of medic- try are basil, rosemary, sage, mint, will also learn that 2015 was declared inal herbs is extremely diverse. For bay and marjoram. This issue will by the United Nations Food and Agri- instance, mint and lavender may be tell the story of a young man who set culture Organization (FAO) – as the consumed as tea, but it may also be aside his career in IT and started an International Year of Soils. used as tinctures, macerated oily aromatic and medicinal herb culture extracts or volatile oils, used in the in Valea Măcrișului. cosmetic industry. The success of a Viviana Vasile, Team Leader of medicinal herb based care oil, cream Due to the very flavored and fra- the project entitled „Establishment and product business will be pre- grant taste of certain herbs, some of and Support of the National Rural sented in the following pages. them are used in the recipes of many Development Network” 3 Rural Romania – no. 15 interview Viorel Morărescu, general manager of the General Directorate for Food Industry within MARD „The medicinal herb sector is insufficiently exploited at the moment, although it’s potential in the field is enormous.” According to the informa- chamomile, artichoke, allheal, lesser away, celandine, yellow gential, St. tion held by MARD, how many periwinkle, marigold). John’s wort, plantain, allheal, lesser breeds of medicinal and aro- periwinkle). Approximately 24 species taken matic plants grow in our coun- from the spontaneous flora have Another 10 species of medicinal try? been introduced into culture, rela- herbs not present in the spontaneous Viorel Morărescu: Following a se- tively easily “domesticated”, due to flora were acclimatized to the grow- lection and amelioration performed their remarkable ecologic flexibility; ing conditions in our country (wooly by the Fundulea Research Station, 29 in terms of active principle content foxglove-Digitalis lanata; Echinacea homologated breeds were recorded (even local breeds) valuable popu- purpurea; yellow hornpoppy – in 2002 (coriander, tarragon, fennel, lations were identified in various Glaucium flavum; bitter gourd - lavender,