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%AMARANTHUS % ARGAN (ARGANIA SPINOSA) répertoriée au Codex alimentarius, il existe aujourd’hui une norme marocaine sur l’huile La gestion et le développement de d’argan et ce produit a fait l’objet en 2002 l’arganier au Maroc d’une note de l’Agence française de sécurité L’arganier est une essence spécifiquement sanitaire des aliments (AFSSA) validant son marocaine, à affinités tropicales, unique utilisation comme huile alimentaire. Des espèce dans son genre. L’arganier se travaux sont en cours au Maroc pour mettre contente d’une tranche pluviométrique qui en place un label de qualité de type peut baisser jusqu’à 120 mm par an, et Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC). supporte des températures élevées pouvant atteindre 50 °C. L’isotherme 3°8 limite son La production de l’huile et de ses dérivés extension en altitude. Cette espèce couvre L’huile extraite de l’amande (fruit de actuellement plus de 700.000 ha et l’arganier) est non seulement comestible et représente environ 17 pour cent de la d’un goût agréable, mais elle possède des superficie forestière nationale. L’espace à propriétés diététiques très intéressantes arganier s’étale essentiellement sur le étant constituée à 80 pour cent d’acides gras territoire des provinces d’Essaouira. insaturés (dont une bonne proportion L’arganeraie constitue un véritable pôle d’acide linoléique). d’attraction, la population de la région est Ces qualités diététiques en font une huile passée de près d’un million d’habitants en très recherchée, vendue nettement plus 1960 à plus de 2,5 millions d’habitants en chère que l’huile d’olive, en raison 2004 dont 55 pour cent en milieu rural, soit notamment de sa rareté et des nombreuses un taux d’accroissement de 2,2 pour cent. heures de travail nécessaires à sa Amaranthus spp. L’initiation de vastes programmes de production. En effet, celle-ci est régénération de l’arganier pourrait être un entièrement manuelle depuis le concassage The many uses of Amaranthus spp. important moyen de stabilisation de la des fruits, le grillage et le broyage des High in protein and calcium, Amaranthus is population et de lutte contre l’exode rural. amandes, jusqu’au malaxage de la pâte used as a food crop by the Aztec Indians of pour en extraire l’huile. Mexico, as a spinach substitute in Australia L’importance de l’arganier aux niveaux La production fruitière (noix d’argan) and as a vegetable in China. The seeds can national et international varie en fonction de l’âge et de la densité (20 be boiled into a hot cereal. The young shoots L’arganier constitue la troisième ressource à 100 kg par arbre) avec une moyenne de 40 make a very tasty pot herb or in salads. forestière marocaine, après l’alfa et le chêne kg/arbre/an. Other uses include the ash of the whole vert, sensiblement à égalité avec le thuya. Sur la base de la densité moyenne des plant used as snuff, sometimes alone and L’arganier est, en effet «un arbre à multi- peuplements d’arganier, qui est de l’ordre sometimes with tobacco (in Swaziland). A usages», chaque partie ou produit de l’arbre de 50 arbres par hectare et du rendement red dye made from the plant – whose name est utilisable et représente une source de en huile d’argan (3 litres pour 100 kg de noix comes from the Greek “amarantos”, which revenus et de nourriture. Cet arbre a des sèches), la production potentielle est means “unfading”, a reference to the propriétés écologiques et physiologiques; il estimée à 32 000 tonnes d’huile d’argan par persisting colour of certain amaranth est très rustique et résistant à l’aridité, mais an. (Source: La gestion participative et le flowers – is used to colour food and il est également doté d’une grande développement des produits forestiers non medicine. A green and yellow dye can be variabilité génétique telle qu’il est ligneux comme moyen de réduction de la made from the whole plant. pratiquement le seul adapté aux régions pauvreté féminine en zones rurales: cas du Found in abundance across parts of the arides et semi-arides où il pousse. Dans ces Maghreb et du Sahel par Mme Hawa War, Americas, Africa, the Pacific Islands and zones, l’arganier est pratiquement Volontaire, FAO, Le Caire.) Asia, Amaranthus spp. has anti- irremplaçable dans la conservation des sols inflammatory, astringent, blood purifying, et des pâturages et pour la lutte contre FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: laxative and diuretic qualities. Amaranthus l’érosion et la désertification. L’arganier joue Pape Djiby Koné, Forestier principal, Bureau is also known to improve digestion and un important rôle dans la fertilisation des régional de la FAO pour le Proche-Orient, promote appetite. However, it is most sols et fournit l’essentiel de l’agriculture El Eslah El Zerai Street, 11 Dokki, B.P.2223, famous as a herb that stops bleeding. d’exportation marocaine dans sa zone. Le Caire, Egypte. Courriel: [email protected]; (Source: D.B. Leonard. 2008. Special report: En quelques années, on a assisté à une Site web: www.fao.org/forestry/ Amaranth) mutation complète de la filière production- webview/media?mediaId=13331&langId=1 commercialisation de l’huile d’argan. Ce FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: produit traditionnel, naguère peu connu en L’arganier et l’olivier au cœur du Sahara David Bruce Leonard, Medicine at your Feet, dehors du Maroc, est aujourd’hui reconnu La wilaya de Tindouf, en Algérie, a connu, au 7921 Sterling Creek Road, Jacksonville, en Amérique du Nord, en Europe et jusqu’au cours des quatre dernières années, la Oregon 97530-8930, United States of America. Japon où il et considéré comme une huile de concrétisation de plusieurs projets inscrits E-mail: [email protected]; luxe. Alors que cette huile ne faisait pas au titre de la politique nationale forestière www.medicineatyourfeet.com/ or partie de la nomenclature des douanes (ni qui vise le développement des zones www.davidbruceleonard.com marocaines ni étrangères) n’étant pas sahariennes a indiqué à l’Aide publique au

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développement (APS) le Conservateur des % BAMBOO be processed into products that successfully forêts de cette collectivité locale. Des projets compete with conventional wood products in de développement, programmés pour Bamboo is the latest natural material to be price and performance. Engineered bamboo l’année 2008 ou à brève échéance, used in ecofriendly building may even replace wood, steel and concrete in permettront d’améliorer le couvert végétal A London architect has completed a bamboo many uses. et le patrimoine sylvicole, et de développer townhouse in the middle of an urban area in Now a demonstrated and commercialized les zones pastorales qui ont subi un lourd Asia that is being hailed as an innovation in technology, bamboo-based ply is competitive préjudice en raison de la sécheresse. terms of sustainable house building in the in pricing. Removal of bottlenecks on the Parmi les projets à concrétiser, region. supply side should create further downward l’extension de la ceinture verte de la wilaya Bamboo reduces the need for air pressure on prices. There has also been a de Tindouf qui s’étend sur une superficie de conditioning as it allows the property to be demand for commercialization of bamboo as 30 ha, dont 20 ha plantés d’oliviers et 10 ventilated naturally while remaining secure an enterprise at the farmer level. autres de variétés d’arbres sylvicoles à and private. Company ROEWU’s architecture Bamboo should be promoted on the l’image de l’arganier (Argania spinosa). Ce believes designs like this could help reduce industrial scene through appropriate tie-up projet, qui vise à augmenter la superficie de the cost of air conditioning in parts of the arrangements with bamboo-based la ceinture verte de 20 ha, vise également à world where bamboo is the main source of industries such as paper, handicrafts and développer les capacités de production de la energy consumption. the new emerging areas of ecofriendly pépinière sylvicole de l’oued Djezz, qui avait The house in Yi-Lan, Taiwan Province of products such as housing tiles, flooring and produit, au cours de l’exercice 2007-2008, China, built as a holiday home, was a bamboo shoots. (Source: Business Line près de 400 000 plants. Les résultats challenge as the site is narrow with blank [India], 13 July 2008.) encourageants réalisés dans la culture de party walls on both sides. By introducing l’arganier, à titre expérimental, ont poussé several double- and triple-height void spaces, Bamboo fibres fortify plant-based car les services concernés à envisager la the whole house is naturally ventilated materials poursuite d’expériences de mise en terre de despite the fact that the sides are enclosed. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has plants de cette variété d’arbre dans la région The bamboo screen wrapped around the developed resin composite materials that de l’oued El-Ma. house shields the house’s occupants from are reinforced by bamboo fibres and can be L’arganier est en effet un arbre qui résiste the view of passers-by on the street, while used in car interiors. aux rudes conditions climatiques et à la allowing sunlight and air to filter into the This is the first time that bamboo fibres sécheresse. Si la culture de ce dernier s’avère building through the bamboo poles. have been used in this way. Mitsubishi possible, toute la région en tirera le plus gros The interior is intended to be like an Motors aims to reduce CO2 emissions by bénéfice surtout lorsque l’on sait que c’est de organic forest. Sunlight and air filter in using the plant-based materials. It has l’arganier qu’est extraite l’huile d’argan, through the bamboo poles, changing the been considering mass-producing the produit qui fait fureur aujourd’hui sur les character and use of the space over the materials and “intends to reduce the cost marchés européen et américain. Tous les course of the day and the different seasons. to a level 1.5 times higher than existing produits cosmétiques sont faits à base d’huile ROEWU describes its bamboo screen materials”, according to the company. d’argan. Notre voisin de l’ouest, le Maroc, en concept as “a radical updating of the The material is intended for use as door est parmi les plus grands producteurs dans le conventional Taiwanese window screen”. The trim base material, seatback board and monde. L’huile d’argan est utilisée depuis des approach also provides a new use for highly ceiling board. (Source: Tech-On English siècles par les femmes berbères du sud du sustainable, fast-growing, locally sourced [Japan], 1 December 2008.) Maroc tant pour la cuisine que pour les bamboo, which has fallen out of use in local produits de beauté. (Source: Le Maghreb, construction. (Source: Property Wire [United Bamboo laptopto debut Alger, 11 Septembre 2008.) Kingdom], 1 August 2008.) Asustek Computer plans to debut a nature- friendly laptop PC with a casing made of Building on bamboo bamboo on Saturday at Taiwan Province of The decline in timber availability and the China’s IT Month exhibition. The laptop, emergence of new technologies have spurred first announced last year, is part of interest in bamboo and coir-based Asustek’s efforts to use renewable composites as wood substitutes for the materials in products. building industry, particularly as demand The company will launch the bamboo swells in Asia and the Pacific. Bamboo-based laptops in the United States of America and panels and boards are hard, durable and may Europe at a later date, but has not decided successfully substitute hard wood products. exactly when, an Asustek representative In a paper presented at the India seminar said. (Source: PC World [United States of on the National Building Code of India, Mr M. America], 26 November 2008.) R. Anil Kumar, Managing Director, Kerala State Bamboo Corporation, said that bamboo Bamboo can play a major role in saving is quickly transforming its image from a the globe “poor man’s tree” to a high-technology Chennai. “Everybody is talking about the industrial raw material. Bamboo, now a problem of global warming, but I have a globally recognized substitute for wood, can solution for it,” says N. Barathi and

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displays a bamboo sapling wrapped like a water and used as a drink. The seeds also worthwhile. Honey hunting is therefore a bouquet. “Bamboo acts as a carbon sink: it yield an edible oil and can be eaten raw or dangerous, although worthwhile, activity in

absorbs excess CO2 in the air with three to roasted. The fruit, bark and leaves of the many regions of Asia. Local customs and four times more efficiency than any other tree are used to treat medical problems, traditions have become associated with tree, which means the more bamboos we including fevers and kidney disease. honey hunting, and have been studied by

plant, the more CO2 is absorbed and thus However, EU customers will not be able anthropologists and social scientists: this we can stop contributing to global to try out the many traditional uses of the means that traditional honey hunting and warming.” tree and its fruit, which is 15–20 cm long. cultural associations have been well According to Mr Barathi, an agricultural The fruit will be removed from its nut and documented in some areas. Indeed, in scientist, bamboo can effectively clean the pulp, which is white, powdery and has a Nepal and Malaysia, tourism based on water pollution from septic tanks and cheese-like texture, will be used as an viewing traditional honey hunting has now factory effluents as it has a natural affinity ingredient in products such as cereal bars. taken off. for nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metals. The non-profit trade association that has Barathi has developed a variety of been lobbying for EU approval, PhytoTrade bamboo called “beema bamboo”, which is Africa, hopes the demand for the fruit will sterile, therefore does not produce seeds mean employment for millions of African and can live up to 200 years, provided it people. gets regular water, sunlight and nutrients Gus Le Breton, the association’s chief from the soil. Planting this in gardens will executive, said: “The EU decision is a crucial benefit generations to come, he says. step to developing the global market which He has even calculated that Chennai could be worth up to £500 m a year. Dozens needs around 13 million bamboo plants to of companies have shown interest in baobab become carbon neutral, i.e. to absorb the since we submitted the application and many

excess CO2 in the air generated by the city’s have already conducted initial research. Now population. (Source: The Hindu [India], 4 that approval has been given, they can August 2008.) progress to full-scale product development.” The baobab tree can live for hundreds of years. Its trunk can grow up to 15 m in %BAOBAB circumference and reach a height of 30 m. Some baobab trees, which are 80 percent New exotic fruit to hit United Kingdom water, are hollow and have been used as shops bars in shops and even prisons. (Source: An unusual fruit from a native African tree, BBC News, 15 July 2008.) the baobab, is to be available in the United Kingdom after it has been approved by the THE AFRICAN HONEY GUIDE European Union (EU). The fruit, contained %BEE PRODUCTS in a hard nut, has six times more vitamin C Honey guides are African woodland than oranges and twice as much calcium as Honey hunting birds belonging to the genus Indicator. milk. Africans have eaten the fruit for Honey hunting in Asia They are remarkable for apparently thousands of years, but Europeans will In Asia, large volumes of honey are still leading honey hunters (as well as honey consume its pulp as an ingredient in obtained by plundering wild colonies of badgers and other bee predators) smoothies and cereal bars. Since 1997, honeybees. This is because some of the towards bee nests. There are several foods not commonly consumed in the EU Asian honeybee species exist only in the different species of honey guide, the have had to be formally approved before wild, and cannot be kept inside hives made most common being the greater honey going on sale. by humans. Honey hunting of Apis guide Indicator indicator, and the lesser The baobab tree grows throughout laboriosa, a honeybee species that nests at honey guide Indicator minor. certain parts of Africa and has many high altitudes, is practised in the Hindu Honey hunters whistle to locate the different uses. The leaves can be eaten as Kush Himalaya region. Honey hunting of honey guides. The birds then chatter relish and the fruit dissolved in milk or Apis dorsata is practised throughout its continuously and flutter conspicuously, distribution range, from Pakistan in the gradually leading the honey hunters west to the Philippines in the east. Honey towards the vicinity of a bees’ nest, hunting of cavity-nesting A. cerana, A. when they become quiet. When the koschevnikovii, A. nuluensis and A. honey hunters plunder the nest, the nigrocincta, and the “little” honeybee honey guides are rewarded with species A. florea and A. andreniformis is feeding from the bees’ nest: brood, practised wherever the bees occur. pollen and honey. Another unusual The large Asian honeybee species, A. feature of these birds is their apparent laboriosa and A. dorsata often nest high on ability to digest beeswax. cliffs or in high trees. However, the combs are very large and yields of honey are

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Honey hunting outside Asia Manuka honey is made by bees from the prize for the “Best honey in the world” at Honey hunting of indigenous Apis mellifera nectar of the flower of the manuka bush, the 2005 World Honey Show in Dublin, colonies is commonly practised in Africa, which is indigenous to New Zealand. Ireland, which included 400 entries and of feral A. mellifera colonies in Central Manuka honey-based MRSA treatments are representing 21 different countries. and South America, wherever colonies are becoming available to hospitals and (Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner abundant – most often in forested areas. individuals worldwide as word of its [United States of America], 16 July 2008.) (Source: Bees and their role in forest effectiveness becomes mainstreamed. With livelihoods, FAO Non-Wood Forest Products reports of manuka honey acting as a natural Beeswax in cosmetics, soap and series 19 [in press].) cure for MRSA, antibiotics will certainly be ointments used less, especially since MRSA drugs Top-quality, pure beeswax can be used to Prevention and treatment of MRSA with usually prove to be useless. (Sources: PR- make fine soap, shampoos, skin ointments manuka honey Inside.com (Pressemitteilung) [Austria], 30 and cosmetics. If used this way, it is If gone untreated, methicillin-resistant June and 5 September 2008.) possible for beeswax from just one bee staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a mutated colony to generate more income than from form of bacteria that has developed a Distinctive flavours inhabit honey all the honey harvested from the same hive. resistance to antibiotics, can be fatal. Amid Tupelo, lavender, sourwood, linden tree, Scrupulous cleanliness, careful working much hysteria, scientists are beginning to sage, buckwheat, eucalyptus and Bradford and attractive packaging are essential for recognize that a particular type of honey pear are mere sweet drops in the honey success with these value-added products. known as manuka is actually effective pot. More than 300 distinctive types of (Source: Bees and their role in forest against this notoriously resilient superbug. honey are produced in the United States of livelihoods, FAO Non-Wood Forest Products Researchers have determined that MRSA America. series 19 [in press].) cannot survive in the healing environment “Each region of America grows different created by manuka honey. MRSA is a plants and therefore has different honey,” Bee checklist buzzes online bacterium that divides into two similar cells explains Mark Brady, President of the Biologists have recently completed an online every half hour. Studies have shown that American Honey Producers Association. effort to compile a world checklist of bees. manuka honey interferes with the cell cycle “Texas, for example, produces honey from They have identified nearly 19 500 bee of MRSA by affecting the separation of new white brush, cat claw and mesquite plants; species worldwide, about 2 000 more than cells, so that those unable to complete Nebraska is famed for its clover and alfalfa previously estimated. There is a current division become disabled. honey; South Carolina and Florida for crisis known as “colony collapse disorder”, All types of honey contain hydrogen tupelo.” an unexplained phenomenon that is wiping peroxide, a known antiseptic and “You can even get honey from cactus,” out colonies of honeybees throughout the disinfectant. Yet an additional antibacterial explain Erika Wain and Klaus Koepfli, of United States of America. This crisis has component in manuka honey, known as California’s Klausesbees honey company, highlighted the need for more information UMF, is unaffected by enzymes that dilute who sell a thick cactus honey from the about bee species and their interactions the effectiveness of regular honey. UMF Mojave Desert of California. with the plants they pollinate. remains active when used as a wound Despite this wide range of choices, most The bee checklist includes currently dressing and diffuses more deeply into skin Americans have only tasted honey blends. accepted scientific names, synonyms and tissues. “Companies that supply supermarkets mix common names. A current, complete and In addition to its unparalleled honey from many different beekeepers,” authoritative taxonomic checklist is key to antibacterial properties, manuka honey is explains Troy Fore, Executive Director of linking all information about species. also considered to be antimicrobial and, the American Beekeeping Federation. Compiling the checklist has taken more therefore, capable of treating both bacterial “Supermarket honey is just as good and than five years and the efforts of leading and fungal infections. Manuka honey also nutritious as any honey. However, unique bee taxonomists on six continents. The has anti-inflammatory properties, which and unusual flavours may be lost in the checklist, coordinated by the staff of the reduce pain in damaged tissue. intermingling of many flavours.” Integrated Taxonomic Information System, Bruce Wolk, Director of Marketing for a public-private partnership hosted at the the National Honey Board, recommends National Museum of Natural History, is logging on to the board’s Web site, available at www.itis.gov. (Source: BCN www.honeylocator.com, to discover honey’s 284, August 2008.) varied flavours. The site lists hundreds of types of unique honeys as well as where to buy them. %BERRIES Pure Mountain Honey (www.MtnHoney.com), is just one of the The amazing benefits of the açaí berry artisanal producers featured on the The many health benefits of the açaí fruit, National Honey Board’s site. Owners Carl which is rapidly growing in popularity and Virginia Webb, who humorously say worldwide, have been long known by they employ 7 million workers, make indigenous Central and South Americans sourwood honey from sourwood trees where the fruit grows on the açaí palm in indigenous to Georgia. Their honey won top swamplands.

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The berry is a small fruit, the size of a other diseases associated with chronic The Department for Environment, Food grape. It is dark purple in colour with a inflammation. and Rural Affairs (Defra) has issued a large seed. The açaí palm bears fruit twice Amazingly, this antioxidant appears to warning to commercial growers, garden a year. When consumed, the berry leaves a fool cancer cells into believing the DNA has centres and gardeners, while the National slight hint of bitter aftertaste, which already been damaged and so possibly help Farmers’ Union has warned that disease resembles that of chocolate. It can be prevent the spreading of the disease. It is carried by the bright red berries could be prepared in many ways. Mostly, the berry is early days but scientists at Harvard “devastating”. prepared as a drink. University are excited about another insight The goji berry, also known as Lycium When consumed on a regular basis, the into how cancer may be tackled. barbarum, contains up to 500 times more açaí berry offers many health benefits. The And mulberries can help to keep you vitamin C than an orange, and is native to fruit is good for the body mainly because of fighting fit throughout the winter too – a the Tibetan Himalayas. It has been used for its antioxidant properties: it is able to rid the recent report in the Journal of Infectious medicinal purposes in China for centuries. body rapidly of harmful toxins. As a result, Diseases states that resveratrol decreased The Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate shortly after consumption of açaí berries, the reproduction of the influenza virus; in warned there is a “substantial trade” in an individual may feel a boost in energy other words, it may be useful in preventing or prohibited goji plants in the United levels. Açaí improves mental clarity and treating flu. (Source: Easier (press release) Kingdom. Seeds and berries can be promotes sound sleep. It even helps with [United Kingdom], 25 September 2008.) imported from anywhere in the world, but digestive functions. only plants grown within the European Perhaps the greatest benefit that has Heatwave spells Swedish berry shortage Union are permitted to be imported to the been given the most attention is that the The recent dry spell has led to an acute United Kingdom, because they are certified açaí berry helps in the weight loss process. shortage of berries in Swedish woodlands. to be free of disease. (Source: The Blood circulation is improved when toxins Mainly affected are the woodlands south of Independent [United Kingdom], 20 July are removed. Improved blood circulation upper Norrland in northern Sweden. 2008.) eventually leads to slowing down of the According to Marogan Tjernberg, ageing process. Skin will look healthier and spokesman for the Swedish Forestberry Synsepalum dulcificum: miracle fruit turns cholesterol levels will be regulated. The Association, the situation is really dire in sour into sweet heart also strengthens. If the body is southern areas. Summer’s popular Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A Florida grower currently suffering from any physical blueberries and cloudberries have simply said demand is rising for a red berry injuries, the improved blood circulation and shrivelled up in the dry heat and nicknamed “miracle fruit” that can make the strong heart will help speed up the disappeared. Southern counties such as sour things taste sweet. Curtis Mozie said healing process. (Source: American Värmland are worst affected, but it remains the berries, which are native to West Africa, Chronicle [United States of America], 25 to be seen if other areas recover, as it is change taste for more than two hours, November 2008.) still early in the season. making sour things such as limes taste like As well as mushroom picking, berry candy, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel picking is a popular Swedish pastime. It is reported on Monday. also a source of economic income. In 2000, Scientists said the berry, Synsepalum according to the Swedish Forestberry dulcificum, contains a glycoprotein called Association, 14 000 tonnes of berries were miraculin that changes taste. collected for retail purposes, of which 70 Mozie, who has more than a thousand percent were blueberries. Commercial “miracle fruit” trees in his orchard, charges berry pickers are almost always non- US$3 a berry and ships 3 000 berries a Swedes. (Source: The Local [Sweden], 3 week. Cancer treatment centres have August 2008.) contacted him to see if the fruit will boost the appetite of chemotherapy patients, the Goji berry poses risk to the United newspaper said. (Source: The Money Times Kingdom’s tomato and potato crops [India], 1 July 2008.) Goji berries might look innocuous, but the Mulberries hailed as new superfruit current craze for this “superfood” – fuelled The mulberry, which resembles a by the endorsement of celebrities – could %CINNAMON raspberry, boasts an impressive nutritional devastate the United Kingdom’s CV, outperforming cranberries, multimillion-pound tomato and potato crops. Cinnamon, not just a culinary spice blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The Government has alerted farmers to Cinnamon (Cinnamomun verum) has The mulberry’s levels of antioxidants are 79 the threat after it revealed last week that played an important role in medicinal percent higher than blueberries and 24 nearly 90 000 goji berry plants, which can healing and as a culinary spice. percent more than those found in carry diseases that are lethal to other Cinnamon was used in Egypt as an cranberries. It is packed full of vitamins crops, have been illegally imported from embalming agent, a product that was and fibre and contains high levels of East Asia in the past year. Some of the considered more precious than gold. Its resveratrol, the antioxidant superhero, plants have been destroyed but it is feared warming qualities made cinnamon which helps combat heart disease and that most are already in the gardens of essential to traditional Chinese medicine cancer and helps lower cholesterol and goji-berry enthusiasts. and its energy-based medical systems.

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As its popularity grew, mediaeval Europe Cinnamon is also known for aiding term economic strategy to capture heavily relied on cinnamon. It was a clotting of blood platelets through lucrative export markets for indigenous product in great demand and became one cinnamaldehyde. This product helps to subsidiary food crops. Under the “Api of the first commodities traded regularly prevent unwanted clumping of blood Wawamu-Rata Nagamu” concept, the between the Near East and Europe. platelets, important in emergency injuries Ministry expects to increase cinnamon Studies are currently under way by the when bleeding should stop. Cinnamaldehyde exports up to 3 000 tonnes by 2010. The United States Agricultural Research works by inhibiting the release of an anti- Ministry has allocated Rs7 million for the Service to demonstrate that less than half a inflammatory fatty acid called arachidonic Export Agriculture Department to expand teaspoon per day of cinnamon reduces acid from platelet membranes. This process cinnamon cultivation, which could blood-sugar levels in persons with Type 2 is also anti-inflammatory, which renders potentially attract more export markets. diabetes. Some question the toxicity of the cinnamon an anti-inflammatory food. Ministry Advisor A.H.L. Somathilaka told regular use of cinnamon. However, results Cinnamon is a powerful, natural The Island financial review that Sri Lankan of a study published in the December 2003 antioxidant when compared with other cinnamon had been rated as the best- issue of Diabetes Research and Clinical antioxidant spices such as anise, ginger, quality cinnamon in the world market as Practice reported that cinnamon enhanced liquorice, mint, nutmeg and vanilla. When the country had been able to supply 90 muscle cells for better insulin utility. compared with chemical food preservatives percent of cinnamon requirements. In the (BHA, BHT and propyl gallate), cinnamon world market, the supply of quality was found to prevent oxidation more cinnamon was about 15 percent and the effectively than other spices, except mint and supply of cassia cinnamon, a lower-quality CINNAMON: THE CEYLON, CHINA chemical antioxidants. substitute, was around 85 percent. CONNECTION There is much to say about the odour of He said that Sri Lanka had been this spice in boosting brain activity. Research supplying quality cinnamon to the world The fragrant, sweet, warm taste of has shown that chewing cinnamon-flavoured market while China, Indonesia and Viet cinnamon that people have come to gum or just smelling cinnamon-enhanced Nam had been exporting cassia cinnamon. love so much comes from the brown products improved brain functioning, The Ministry was positive that Sri Lanka bark of the cinnamon tree. It is attention span, visual-motor speed and would be able to increase cinnamon produced in a dried, tubular form memory. exports by 5 percent in 2010. known as quill (cinnamon sticks) or is Iron, calcium and the trace mineral Somathilaka explained that cinnamon readily available as ground powder. manganese are also found in cinnamon. had been cultivated on 25 413 ha, with each The main varieties are Ceylon and Moreover, it is a good source of dietary fibre. hectare yielding around 500 kg of cinnamon Chinese; Ceylon is slightly sweeter, more When calcium and fibre combine, they bind annually. Of this amount, around 5 350 refined and difficult to find in local bile salts and remove them from the body. tonnes were being exported and Sri Lanka markets. Ceylon cinnamon is produced Bile salts, if not removed from the body, can had been earning Rs2 229.2 million from in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Brazil and the damage colon cells, increasing the risk of cinnamon exports annually. Future plans Caribbean. The Chinese variety, more colon cancer. Fibre in cinnamon may provide for cinnamon cultivation would include popular in North America, is known as relief from constipation or diarrhoea exports of 3 000 tonnes by 2010, quality cassia and is less expensive than the experienced by sufferers of irritable bowel enhancement and increases in revenue, Ceylon variety. The Chinese variety is syndrome. production and profits. (Source: The Island produced mainly in China, Viet Nam and As a culinary treat, cinnamon can provide (subscription) [Sri Lanka], 22 September Indonesia. a quick, healthy twist to snacks such as 2008.) It is the essential oils of the bark of cinnamon toast or honey and cinnamon on the cinnamon tree that give cinnamon wholewheat toast. A deliciously warming its unique healing abilities. The oils beverage is cinnamon sticks simmered in %CORK contain active compounds such as soy milk. Adding cinnamon to dishes such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate and lamb for a Middle Eastern-inspired meal is a Portugal fighting screw-cap trend to save cinnamyl alcohol, among other volatile memorable departure from regular recipes. cork forests substances. Adding cinnamon to curries gives them a It has recently emerged that falling These oils qualify the spice as an further kick. demand for authentic cork stoppers is antimicrobial food. Research has shown Cinnamon is an excellent spice with great gradually forcing farmers to replace cork that it has the ability to stop the growth healing properties, widely used in Eastern trees with alternative crops, such as of bacteria and fungi, including the and Western herbalism. It is equally eucalyptus trees. problematic yeast, candida. The important in culinary creations across most At present, according to the World Wild International Journal of Food cultures. Cinnamon is a spice that should be Fund for Nature (WWF) Web site, Portugal Microbiology (August 2003) reported truly treasured! (Source: Heather Little- is the world’s largest cork producer, that the antimicrobial properties of White, Jamaica Gleaner [Jamaica], 6 followed by Spain, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, cinnamon are so effective that it has September 2008.) Tunisia and France. been used as an alternative to The majority of cork harvested in the traditional food preservatives. Expanding Sri Lanka’s cinnamon trade Iberian Peninsula is used to produce bottle The Agriculture and Agrarian Services stoppers, which represents an estimated Ministry of Sri Lanka has devised a long- 70 percent of the income from harvest.

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However, traditional cork stoppers are being The felling of 66 ha of cork forest for the the early days, but appears to have been replaced with synthetic closures or screw controversial Alqueva dam project, in largely rectified through more appropriate caps, which now account for around 20 northern Alentejo, also highlighted threats winemaking. (Source: New Zealand Herald percent of the market. posed by development projects to existing [New Zealand], 7 September 2008.) It is said that problems with bottles of oak woodland. (Source: Portugal News, wine becoming “corked” (in layperson Algarve [Portugal], 6 December 2008.) terms, where the wine develops a musty %ESSENTIAL OILS smell and becomes undrinkable because of contamination with a chemical known as The role of essential oils in combating trichloroanisol), have led many wine mosquito-borne diseases connoisseurs to opt for bottles with synthetic Despite rapid advances in medical science cork or screw tops instead. during the past decades, mosquito-borne In a nutshell, this shift in traditional bottle diseases such as dengue, Japanese stopping to using modern-day products is encephalitis (JE), filiarisis, malaria and threatening to wipe out cork forests, along chikungunya continue to torment human with the species that reside therein. beings. This is because mosquito vectors as Cork oak forests in Portugal cover an well as causative agents such as bacteria estimated 33 percent of land mass and are and fungi have developed resistance against home to a number of rare and endangered pesticides and antimicrobial drugs. species, particularly in southern Portugal. According to Dr Nor Azah Mohamad Ali, These include black storks and booted senior researcher at the Forest Research eagles, which are already disappearing in Cork comes unscrewed Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), the best move some areas, and the Iberian lynx, which over Is the corkscrew destined to join the garter, to curb the breeding of the mosquito is to the past few years has been the subject of snuff box and cassette tape in that dusty destroy its larva or through the use of insect extensive reporting and campaigning. drawer of obsolete accessories? Given that repellents. “At the moment, the control of A study by WWF, which was recently about 90 percent of New Zealand wines are the mosquito vectors depends on the reported in The Telegraph newspaper, now under screw cap and even the French chemical-based and synthetic repellents estimated that up to three-quarters of the are starting to convert, it certainly looks like dimethyl phthalate, malathion and Mediterranean’s cork forests could be lost likely that in the future far fewer corks will dimethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Even though within ten years. Over the past ten years in be pulled. the chemicals are effective, some could be the Algarve, cork forests have declined by 28 Cork has been used as a stopper since hazardous in addition to being ozone- percent. the 1600s, when it was adopted by Dom depleting, and continuous use could make In an attempt to boost productivity, Perignon to replace the cloth-wrapped the mosquito vectors resistant to Portuguese cork producers have introduced wooden plugs that kept popping out of his insecticides.” new sterilization and purification methods to champagne containers. Dr Nor Azah suggested the possibility of ensure corks are not contaminated with However, as a natural product, cork has using herbs and spices, whose essential trichloroanisol. an inherent variability, with some corks oils are able to repel insects, as Over the years, Portugal’s cork industry providing the tight seal required, while insecticides. The presence of has not been without turmoil. In August others allow some oxygen to sneak past. monoterpenoids such as limonene, 2008, environment protection agency Even more of a concern has been a nasty citronellol, geraniol and citronellal have Quercus considered the felling of 1 200 cork mould called trichloroanisol (TCA) that been reported as having insect-repellent trees in Vale da Rosa a “glaring disregard” of imparts musty aromas and flavours. But properties. “As aromas play an important the law. The trees were felled to make space cork’s monopoly created complacency and role in controlling the insects’ behaviour, for a mega residential development. Legal producers were seen to be doing little to essential oils can be used as insect action was instigated by Quercus to stop the sort out this issue. repellents,” she said. felling, alleging that the trees are of a That was until new closures, such as From FRIM’s research, a number of species protected by Portuguese law. synthetic corks and screw caps, came on to essential oils such as Cymbopogon nardus, Back in 2001, there were political moves the scene and were embraced by Litsea eliptica, Melaleuca cajuputi and to defend Portugal’s cork oaks when winemakers, frustrated that up to 10 Cinnamomum spp. demonstrate repellent delegates from the Socialist Party-run percent of their products could be spoiled properties against the Aedes aegyptii Council of Montijo met with officials by their packaging. Of these it is the screw mosquito. She said essential oils from other representing the then President Jorge cap that has really taken off. The plants reported to be able to repel insects Sampaio, with the initiation of a national practicality of the cap and reassurance that are those from geranium (Pelargonium petition to be presented to Parliament. the wine will be taint-free, has meant that citrosum), sandalwood (Aquilaria Motivated by the perceived weakening of drinkers are now sending back wines if malaccensis) and sweet basil (Ocimum legal protection for cork and holm oak trees, they are not under screw caps! spp.). environmental groups such as Quercus Caps have not been without their critics, FRIM’s research also showed that the voiced their concern over the proposed some blaming their near-hermetic seal for essential oil product “Deesrept” is able to changes to the law since it was first drafted the creation of eggy-smelling hydrogen repel the mosquito to the extent of killing it, in the year 2000. sulphides in wine. This was a problem in said Dr Nor Azah.

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The discovery of “Deesrept”, which The team is working on a project to give Scientists already knew that contains one or a blend of essential oils from rural communities the means to generate Mediterranean oregano oil was a powerful the citrus family, is among the successes income from sustainable collection of antimicrobial, because of an essential chalked up by FRIM from its research on NTFPs in the Kullu district of Himachal compound called carvacol. But nobody had essential oils. “This essential oil can be Pradesh. Earlier this year, the United tested the Himalayan oregano oil before, included in creams and lotions,” Dr Nor Azah Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said Heron, so they teamed up with SGS said. Products could also be used as body gave the project the SEED award. SEED is who run a laboratory in Delhi and found it sprays or air fresheners, she said, adding an international programme with UN contained as much carvacol as that a Bumiputera firm is working on backing that supports entrepreneurial Mediterranean oregano. commercializing the product. partnerships that develop creative, locally At SGS they ran further tests and found In studies held at FRIM, it was found that led solutions to the global challenges of that Himalayan oregano oil was more aroma-producing plants such as citrus, sustainable development. effective at killing MRSA than 18 antibiotics. selasih (Ocimum), serai (Cymbopogon) and The creative and innovative part of the The microbiologists at UWE are now medang (Cinnamomum) exhibited potential carrying out further tests, and hope to in repelling mosquito when tested on Aedes publish the results in a scientific journal. aegyptii via the American Society Testing and (Source: Medical News Today [United Materials (ASTM) standard E951-85. Dr Nor Kingdom], 24 November 2008.) Azah said the most effective essential oils discovered so far are those from citrus plants. % FUNGI Further research is needed to ensure non- toxicity and optimum efficiency of the A rain forest fungus may be the future of essential oils. Moreover, public awareness biofuel on alternative products for repelling A recent discovery in the Patagonian rain mosquito is high, but there are only a few of forest has revealed a most extraordinary such products on the market because of fungus that produces gas nearly identical to limited resources of raw materials. The use diesel fuel. Gliocladium roseum, living of natural herbs as raw products has pushed inside the ulmo tree in the rain forest, not up the processing costs. only produces diesel-like fumes but also FRIM has begun the cultivation of feeds off cellulose; hence its potential as a medicinal herbs such as serai wangi for fuel supplier is magnified by the fact that it research and commercial purposes. It is also would not be disruptive to food chains. More taking proactive measures in maintaining research is soon to follow. (Source: natural resources. “Our jungles contain Origanum vulgare Mongabay.com, 4 November 2008.) numerous herbal treasures that have potential, but if we acquire any species for project is that it potentially gives a Antibiotic-producing mushroom discovered research, then we will plant it back.” (Source: sustainable source of income to the people The Philippines. A group of government Bernama [Malaysia], 24 September 2008.) of the Himalayas while at the same time scientists recently discovered an antibiotic- providing United Kingdom hospitals with an producing micro-organism from a type of Himalayan oregano effective against MRSA environmentally friendly way of preventing mushroom that has been found to be A team comprising researchers from a the spread of MRSA. The Himalayan effective in treating diseases of livestock, United Kingdom university, members of local Oregano Project was one of five SEED 2008 particularly swine, the Department of businesses and an NGO in India has winners that were selected this year from Science and Technology (DOST) reported discovered that the essential oil of Himalayan over 400 entries worldwide. yesterday. oregano has strong antibacterial properties Himalayan oregano is just common The scientists from DOST’s National and even kills the hospital superbug Origanum vulgare that grows in the Research Council of the Philippines, led by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus Himalayas. In fact, the local people in Kullu Dr Asuncion Raymundo, a plant pathologist, (MRSA). They hope these findings will lead to do not regard it as having any culinary or found that the mushroom species Clitopilus the development of hand soaps and surface medicinal value and treat it as a weed: they passeckerianus produces the antibiotic disinfectants in hospitals and other health call it “bekaar gahaas” or “useless grass” called pleuromutilin. care settings. because even cows and goats will not eat it. Data from DOST’s Philippine Council for The United Kingdom researchers are from Ben Heron from Biolaya Organics said Agriculture, Forestry and Natural the University of the West of England (UWE), they started working with oregano because Resources Research and Development Bristol, who teamed up with, among others, it is a plant that can be gathered year after (PCARRD) showed that the Philippines was India-based Biolaya Organics, a company year without depleting the population in the among the leading hog raisers in the Asia- that develops projects aimed at conserving wild. He said the project aims to pay local Pacific Region in 2001. However, the report endangered medicinal herbs, for example by herb collectors the same amount they also stated that Luzon’s production rate, cultivating them using sustainable methods would receive if they collected endangered compared with that of Mindanao and and providing alternatives such as more herbs, so they become less dependent on Visayas, has plummeted in 2001 compared common species. the latter. with earlier years, attributing this to the

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high mortality rate among swine on account of disease. “The NRCP antibiotic derived from the mushroom has the clear potential CHARACTERISTICS OF GINSENG to solve this problem,” DOST said. For thousands of years, humans have Ginseng is one of the adaptogens, a recognized the varied uses of mushrooms. group of non-toxic, non-habit forming In addition to being an effective fermenting substances that normalize body agent, they are also considered an efficient chemistry and functioning. Adaptogens waste disposer and major manufacturer of increase the body’s ability to cope with organic fertilizer, DOST said. Mushrooms physical, emotional and environmental can grow anywhere from farm animal stress. They work in a synergistic Ginseng manure, from spoiled food in the kitchen, to manner, increasing the body’s own the dead barks and leaves in the deepest ability to fight off disease. The greater When the wild stock was exhausted, reaches of foliage. (Source: FreshPlaza the body’s need for an adaptogen, the commercial cultivation began. Wild [Netherlands], 18 July 2008.) increasingly active the substance ginseng is believed to have a greater becomes. medicinal value than the cultivated Nature’s “medicine chest” discovered Ginseng is a plant with many variety. Over 25 percent of all contemporary different components. It is used in its Ginseng is used fresh or dried. medications originate from moulds, entirety in the preparation of teas and Sometimes plant leaves are added with mushrooms and other fungi, including the root is used in powders and the root, but the root is the highly penicillin and cyclosporine, an capsules. The term ginseng is used to prized part of the plant. Cultivated immunosuppressant that improves the refer to Panax ginseng and P. ginseng is available as red ginseng and acceptance rate following an organ quinquefolius, first cousins in the white ginseng. The difference lies in the transplant operation. Araliaceae family. Each contains a way the root is processed. The different A ridge in the highest cloud forest of different balance of the ginsenosides, geographic names before the word Belize, at an altitude of over 3 500 feet giving it a unique character. “ginseng” indicate where the plant was (1 067 m), has been found to be a “mushroom Ginseng was first found in Manchuria grown. Subtle variations exist between heaven”. In 2007, fungus scientist Timothy J. and was referred to by the ancient the varieties. Baroni from the State University of New York Chinese as “Ren Shen”, meaning “Man Ginseng contains a number of at Cortland and others discovered over 40 root”. They believed that regular compounds that are unique. Many of new species on the ridge in under two weeks. consumption of ginseng led to a long these elements have an effect on the “We have a medicine cabinet at our disposal, and happy life. Ginseng became so adrenal glands, increasing the amount and the medicines don’t have labels yet,” valuable that it was prized beyond gold. of hormone secretion to ward off both says Baroni, who is funded by the National It was so popular that the supply of physical and emotional stress. Scientists Geographic Society’s Committee for ginseng from the Chinese mainland believe that it is this effect that is Research and Exploration. could not meet the demand, and responsible for the stress-fighting power The great potential of new fungus imports were brought from Korea. of ginseng. remains to be explored. (Source: National Geographic, 26 November 2008.)

The Phytotherapy Research Journal production and reduces cell death in %GINSENG (PANAX spp.) reports that ginsenoside Rg3, a red ginseng pancreatic beta-cells. Studies have also constituent, can effectively inhibit cells in revealed American ginseng’s ability to Ginseng found highly effective for weight the fat storage process. New research in decrease blood glucose in Type 2 diabetes loss and diabetes control the Journal of the American College of patients as well as in diabetes induced Ginseng has long been one of the Nutrition reveals the efficacy and safety in animals. foundations of healing in Chinese medicine, the use of ginseng for diabetes, with Ginseng lives up to its name as a cure- and is probably one of the world’s best mounting evidence to support the claim all. Russian research showed that ginseng known herbs. The botanical name Panax that American ginseng is useful in stimulated physical and mental activities in means “all curing” in Greek. This 5 000- improving diabetes control, reducing tired and weak individuals and increased year-old healer has traditionally been used associated risk factors such as energy and physical endurance. Asian as a restorative tonic to increase energy, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension, and researchers have documented ginseng’s stamina and well-being. Western scientists ameliorating insulin resistance. The ability to reduce fatigue and increase have confirmed the efficacy of ginseng for Journal of Ethnopharmacology reports a stamina and found that ginseng aids in the many of the traditional uses. Now study acknowledging ginseng’s long history formation of red blood cells, helping to researchers are adding to the traditional as a herbal remedy for diabetes. As eliminate anaemia. Ginseng strengthens list, documenting ginseng as highly reported in the Journal of Evidence Based the gastrointestinal system, facilitates liver effective in weight loss and diabetes control. Complementary and Alternative Medicine, regeneration, and helps detoxify poisons. In New research documents ginseng’s initiating studies have shown that addition, ginseng is one of the few herbs effectiveness against obesity and diabetes. American ginseng increases insulin showing promise in the treatment of

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chronic fatigue syndrome. (Source: Natural now, the produce of the state was being from the forest floor up trunks is perfectly News.com [United States of America], 1 used mainly to manufacture electrical suited for binding joints, as well as for December 2008.) insulators and dye fixtures. wicker-like weaving. The fibre of the ite Lac is a natural polymer derived from palm, tibisiri (Mauritia flexuosa), makes a Wet weather forcing early ginseng harvest insects and it has great adhesive strength. cord-like material that is woven into fabric in Canada It has high electrical insulation, is for seats and chair backs. Wet weather this summer has forced many waterproof and resistant to moisture and The use of NTFPs presents an option for ginseng farmers into an early harvest. corrosion. It is also highly plastic. indigenous people to create sustainable Growers are racing to salvage what they economic alternatives to plundering the can now that root rot and berry blight have timber of their lands. As liana can only become a problem. Shade and straw on grow in the forest, finding a use for these third- and fourth-year fields have been vines gives purpose to maintaining the removed on some farms in preparation for health of that forest. (Source: extracted an early harvest. Under normal conditions, from: W. Gordon. 2008. One factory, one the mature root is dug in October and then forest: design, ecology and microeconomic only in its fourth year. development in Guyana. New York, United Phytophthora root rot is the major States of America, Core 77.) threat because the fungus spreads rapidly in saturated soil. Ginseng root should have FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: the consistency and colour of fresh Jocelyn, Compton or Sharla, Liana Cane, 173 parsnips when it comes out of the ground. The institute has been conducting Charlotte Street, Georgetown, Guyana. Root rot moves quickly once it is research on lac since 1930 and has earned Fax: (592) 2274232; established and turns ginseng root to a worldwide reputation on the subject. “We e-mail : [email protected] and mush. Red berries at the top of the ginseng have found that the shelf-life of certain [email protected] plant develop purple discolourations in the fruits and vegetables could be increased by presence of botrytis head blight. The three months using a thin coating of lac Una Liana de los bosques tropicales de berries, which are harvested for seed, wax,” said Sharma. América, es al presente vulnerable a develop a grey, fuzzy appearance as the Research on fruits such as apples and causa del comercio fungus matures. Sean Westerveld, a oranges, and vegetables such as pointed La Liana robusta es un producto forestal no ginseng and medicinal herb specialist with gourd and capsicum, have given maderero (PFNM) de importancia the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, says it encouraging results. “The lac wax coating económica y se encuentra en los bosques is difficult to fight root rot when the soil is allows the oxygen to pass but prevents tropicales de América. Pertenece a la continuously saturated. water and moisture permeability to keep familia Bignoniaceae (Arrabidaea chica Under ideal conditions, ginseng will the fruits fresh,” said Sharma, adding that [Humb. y Bonpl] Verl.), supera los 20 m de receive light rain or dew over night and dry, a thick coating of lac wax could result in longitud y apoya su estructura en el dosel warm conditions by day with low humidity. fermentation. superior de las copas de los árboles en los Most of the Ontario ginseng crop is sold To develop a flawless technology of wax bosques tropicales de América. in Asia, where it is used in tea and food and coating, the institute has recently tied up Su mayor empleo y uso tradicional es la as a traditional folk medicine. (Source: with the Central Institute of Post-Harvest utilización de sus hojas como colorante Tillsonburg News, Ontario [Canada], 15 Engineering and Technology, Ludhiana. natural para dar tonalidades marrones a August 2008.) (Source: Calcutta Telegraph [India], 25 utensilios artesanales. September 2008.) Recibe diversos nombres comunes: en Costa Rica bejuco de fierro, carajirú en % LAC %LIANAS Lac technology to increase the shelf-life of fruits Lianas in Guyana Ranchi, Scientists in the state have Liana is the common name for woody vines discovered an ecofriendly and economic that depend upon the old-growth tree preservative – lac wax coating – to use for canopies in rain forests. Liana is useful for commercial purposes. “We were aware of furniture production, as shown by the the fact that lac wax coating on fruits could successful business venture at the Liana help preserve them for long, but now we Cane sustainable furniture factory in are planning to use the technology for Guyana. commercial purpose,” said K.K. Sharma, Kufu (Clusia spp.), a material similar to principal scientist at the Indian Institute of rattan and bamboo, is one such liana that Natural Resins and Gums. grows from the canopy down to the forest Annual lac production in India is around floor. Kufu is used to make furniture 25 000 tonnes, of which the state’s share is frames and cladding. Nibbi (Heteropis about 40 percent, Sharma added. Until flexousa), a small vine that winds its way Arrabidaea chica

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Brasil, puca panga en Perú, chica en diámetro mayor número de raíces, sin influir %NUTS Colombia, witts en Nicaragua, nea curi en la presencia de hojas y el tipo de sustrato Ecuador. (arena y suelo); siendo entonces los factores Brazil nuts in Peru: a lot of nuts, En forma complementaria el tallo se ha más relevantes el número de nudos por a lot of noise empleado para la obtención de fibras que se estaca y la madurez fisiológica del tallo. The Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa), despite utilizan para la confección de cestos. Para En los ensayos realizados en el Jardín its name, is not exclusive to that country and, ello la planta es cosechada en poblaciones Bougainvillea, se determinó que de la contrary to common sense, the main silvestres. utilización de estacas leñosas de entre 1 y 2 producer is Bolivia. The nut grows naturally in Se distribuye en bosques desde el sur de cm de diámetro, se logra obtener entre un the humid forests of Bolivia, Brazil and Peru México hasta el norte de Argentina, se 85 y un 92 por ciento de éxito en el and comes from one of the highest trees in encuentra en altitudes de 0 a 1000 m sobre enraizamiento de estacas. the tropical Amazon region. Curiously, the el nivel del mar. Sobre todo en las partes Manejo agroecológico: Sistema locally named Brazil nut is known in this húmedas de bosques tropicales y muy agroecológico, es el manejo de A. chica, country under the name of “castaña de para” húmedos. sobre soportes vivos, que se basa en while in Bolivia is identified as “castaña del Propiedades: En Perú, Duke y Vásquez criterios agroecológicos de manejo de beni”. (1994) hacen referencia a que este colorante luminosidad (sistema de barbacoa), su The Brazil nut has a very dynamic demand es también usado para el tratamiento de manejo es favorecido al tener un globally, which has risen with the increased afecciones de la piel y herpes; y sus hojas comportamiento de especie heliófita, la consumption of healthy products. Also, son usadas como anatiinflamatorio. En capacidad de adaptación silvestre a suelos considering that this product is an excellent Costa Rica, Ocampo y Valverde (1987) hacen con bajo pH (3,5-5), y a la capacidad de source of selenium, magnesium and referencia a que los aborígenes Guaymi, responder a prácticas silviculturales (poda). thiamine and is full of proteins and emplean las hojas hervidas para los dolores En 2002, Medrano determinó que entre carbohydrates, it constitutes an ideal diuretic menstruales y también como colorante para tres coberturas de vegetación, el bosque food and a medicinal option for ear infections. teñir fibras. secundario bajo presenta una mayor Taking advantage of this trend, Peruvian Comercio: El comercio es regional en producción de peso seco de hojas. exports of Brazil nuts are expanding to new Amazonas, Brasil. La situación del comercio Por lo tanto, el adecuado manejo de la markets, such as Hong Kong and Viet Nam, de las hojas se ha ampliado al mercado iluminación y de los soportes son los in addition to the traditional list of countries internacional para su empleo en la industria principales elementos a considerar para such as the United States of America, the de cosméticos. obtener los mejores rendimientos de hojas United Kingdom and Canada, which together Procedencia de la materia prima: La al implementar acciones de cultivo account for almost 92 percent of Peru’s materia prima son las hojas, que se agroecológico. current exports. cosechan en poblaciones silvestres. Manejo diversificado del bosque: Dentro de Between January and September 2007, Exigencias ambientales: A. chica presenta, la iniciativa del manejo diversificado del the volume of exported Brazil nuts grew by a priori, condiciones para su domesticación bosque, el hecho de que la especie 4.7 percent, overcoming the barrier of US$10 por medio del manejo agroecológico. Esta responda a claros y/o aperturas del dosel, a million. Even though the United States of especie, considerada una heliófita, se sucesiones secundarias tempranas, donde America is already the main market for this presenta en bosques primarios con porte de existe disponibilidad de luz, hace que la product, it is important to notice that because liana de gran tamaño, con su follaje en el misma sea ideal para el manejo en áreas de of the preferences of the Peru Trade dosel superior, en cambio en bosques de producción con especies arbóreas. Promotion Agreement (PTPA) that will enter regeneración y bosques secundarios, es de Cosecha y recolección: La primera cosecha into force in January 2009, Peru faces the menor tamaño, debido a la mayor se realiza cuando el individuo ha alcanzado opportunity of increasing its sales to this luminosidad. un diámetro (d0.5) de 1,5 cm (diámetro market, using the preferential access. Acciones de domesticación: El Jardín mínimo de cosecha), ya que son plantas On the other hand, given the fact that Peru Agroecológico Bougainvillea, ubicado en el productivas que pueden ser manejadas en exports Brazil nuts in a primary state, The Caribe de Costa Rica inició en el año 1998 un forma sostenible. country also faces the challenge of selling proyecto con financiación de la OEA/AICD, La hoja deshidratada presenta una these products with greater transformation. implementando acciones dirigidas a la de coloración marrón. So, Peru could sell nuts without shells and domesticación y conservación in situ de Conclusión: El Jardín Agroecológico este importante producto forestal no Bougainvillea ha dado importantes aportes maderero. para su conservación in situ, en los bosques A continuación se detallan las tropicales y en acciones de manejo actividades. agroecológico para la cosecha de hojas para Propagación sexual: La propagación sexual la industria de extractos naturales y para de A. chica ha sido poco estudiada ya que disminuir la cosecha de poblaciones por tener el hábito de liana y silvestres. (Aportación hecha por Rafael A. fructificaciones escasas, no se ha logrado Ocampo S., Jardín agroecológico de plantas evaluar la germinación de las semillas. medicinales, Bougainvillea S.A., Apartado Propagación asexual: En el ensayo de Aéreo. 764-3100, Santo Domingo, Heredia, reproducción asexual realizado por Groome Costa Rica. Correo electrónico: (1998), los resultados indicaron que a mayor [email protected]; www.bioextractos.com) Bertholletia excelsa

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toasted, packed for snacks or to be used in processing and packaging. Invisible earnings focuses on women as the caretakers of the chocolates, sweets and bakery products in include a sustainable industry to assist the family and the environment, and addresses general. Additionally, it is possible to explore survival of smallholding communities in key factors for sustainable livelihoods – the hidden potential of this product for the danger of losing their livelihoods, in addition sociocultural, environmental and economic – cosmetic industry as an input for oils, make- to fine harvests of forest fungi, and the top by creating leadership, educational and up and beauty products. value chestnut honey. (Source: Bees and their economic opportunities for women and girls. It is evident, therefore, that not only does role in forest livelihoods, FAO Non-Wood Our newest programme, “Healthy kids, Peru have a wide potential to expand its sales Forest Products series 19 [in press].) healthy forests” (Bosques sanos, niños to this market, but it also has the opportunity sanos) aims to provide Maya nut-based to increase the value of exported products school lunches to rural children. Starting in and obtain greater profits that may give an Guatemala in 2008, we are feeding 8 124 extra impulse to the generation of more and children from 46 communities in the Petén better jobs for Peruvians. (Source: Living in region of Guatemala. These communities are Peru [Peru], 15 July 2008.) planting more than 300 000 new Maya nut trees as “food forests” to sustain the Europe’s chestnut Castanea sativa forests programme in the future. (Source: Rainforest In past centuries, for people living in Europe’s Alliance. 2008. Project profile: Maya nut forested areas, which then included much of (Brosimum alicastrum): an ancient food for a the Mediterranean’s shoreline, forests of the healthy future. New York, United States of chestnut Castanea sativa were very America. important. These sweet chestnut forests extended from the mountainous uplands of FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Portugal and Spain, through France and into Erika Vohman, Project Director, Equilibrium Fund, northern Germany, the west coast of Italy, PO Box 2371, Crested Butte, and throughout central Europe as far as Colorado 81224, United States of America. Turkey, and provided an important source of Castanea sativa E-mail: [email protected]; livelihood. In previous times, chestnuts were Maya nut http://theequilibriumfund.org/ or http://eco- harvested and dried, milled into flour, or used Maya nut (Brosimum alicastrum) or Ramon, index.org/search/results.cfm? projectID=1181 whole with other foods, providing an excellent Ojoche, Masica, Ujuxte, Ojushte, Ojite, Ash, (Please see page 35 of Non-Wood News 16 for source of protein and carbohydrate-rich Ox, Capomo, Mojo, and Breadnut is a more information.) nutrition. When chestnut trees flowered delicious, nutritious, abundant nut from between June and July, they provided neotropical rain forest trees that provided a abundant nectar and pollen forage for bees, staple food for pre-Columbian hunter SACHA INCHI from which a valuable chestnut honey is gatherers. Maya nuts are exceptionally %(PLUKENETIA harvested with a dark colour, a fruity scent nutritious, providing high-quality protein, VOLUBILIS L.) like over-ripe apples and a strong, slightly calcium, iron, folate, fibre and vitamins A, E, C tannic flavour. and B. Sacha Inchi: the largest vegetable source of The chestnut forests provided a labour- Unfortunately, knowledge about Maya nuts Omega and antioxidants in the Peruvian intensive, slow-maturing harvest – the trees has decreased as globalization, export crops Amazon take 20 years to bear chestnuts, but then and deforestation negatively impact Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.), remain productive for a hundred years or indigenous cultures and the forests that commonly known as peanut mount, Sacha more. Quick-growing staples such as sustain them. As a result of this loss of peanut or peanut of the Inca, is a native plant potatoes, maize and beans eventually indigenous knowledge, people cut Maya nut of the Peruvian Amazon. Utilized by replaced the chestnut crop. This left the trees for firewood and burn forests to plant indigenous peoples for centuries, Sacha Inchi forests, where chestnuts remained untended maize, beans and other crops. The Maya nut was also cultivated on the Peruvian coast in and vulnerable, no longer valued as providers tree is in danger of extinction throughout its pre-Hispanic times. A shrub climber that of food and income. Equally at risk were the range, a situation that threatens the food prefers warm climates and adapts to clay and additional crops the forest supported, security of both human and animal acidic soils, Sacha Inchi is originally from including the honey produced by the forest’s populations. Central America but is also currently found in indigenous Apis mellifera honeybees, as well The Equilibrium Fund’s Maya Nut Program the departments of San Martin, Ucayali, as valuable fungi such as chanterelles and is working to rescue lost traditional Huanuco, Amazonas, Loreto and Madre de truffles. knowledge about the tree for food, fodder, Dios in Peru. In the wild, Sacha Inchi grows at In recent years, new harvesters have and ecosystem services. Since its inception in the edge of secondary forests, in sugar-cane arrived in some of these forests, often 2001, more than 8 000 women have been fields and on fences and is even found in escapees from urban life, who are trained from 450 communities in Honduras, platanales and perennial crops. commercially educated and aware of the Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and In rural areas of San Martin, Peru, need for the forests to create a livelihood. Mexico. The programme has resulted in the residents appreciate the nutritional value of New industries have developed, using local conservation of more than 400 000 ha of Maya Sacha Inchi seeds. Boiled or roasted, these labour and expertise to harvest the chestnuts nut forests and the planting of more than seeds are used in the preparation of various and market them with modern methods of 800 000 new seedlings. The programme traditional dishes including inchicapi,

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 18 January 2009 34 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

pepper sacha inchi, cutacho, butter sacha agroindustry, so that improved varieties may reste pas moins un produit 100 pour cent inchi, inchi cucho, tamales and nougats. be obtained to compete better in both the végétal, naturel et bio. Avec l’engouement du Indigenous women from the Mayorunas, domestic and international oil industry commerce équitable, il est en passe de Chayuhuitas, Campas, Huitotos Shipibos, markets. (Contributed by: Joe Sixto Saldaña devenir le produit de soin incontournable à Boras and Yaguas ethnic groups mix flour Rojas, Cooperación para el Desarrollo avoir dans sa salle de bain. Utilisé à tout âge, with the oil of the Sacha Inchi to create a de la Amazonía (CODEA), Calle César il demeure le meilleur allié des peaux sèches revitalizing and rejuvenating skin cream. Calvo de Araujo 2035, Iquitos, Peru. pour ses vertus hautement hydratantes et Native Secoyas, Handosas, Amueshas, E-mail: [email protected] or régénérantes. Adieu, les sensations de Cashibos, Dapanahuas and Boras eat [email protected]) tiraillement pendant les frimas car il procure toasted Sacha Inchi to regain strength confort et bien-être et laisse une peau douce during labour-intensive work. Rubbing the et satinée. oil on to their bodies also helps to relieve %SHEA BUTTER Fort de ses vitamines A (anti-âge et anti- their rheumatic and muscle pain. inflammatoire), D (calmante), E (antioxydante Le karité, l’or des femmes et nutritive) et F (hydratante), le karité Beurre aux nombreuses vertus, surnommé renferme de nombreuses propriétés qui «l’or des femmes», le karité est un secret de apportent souplesse et élasticité à la peau: beauté que les femmes africaines se adoucissantes et protectrices notamment transmettent depuis des millénaires. pour les cheveux, antidesséchantes et Aujourd’hui, avec le développement du hydratantes en prévention de la sécheresse commerce équitable et du bio, il est devenu cutanée, réparatrices et cicatrisantes et, la nouvelle coqueluche de l’industrie enfin apaisantes en cas d’allergies telles que cosmétique. les rhumes de foin. Le karité favorise Grand héritage de l’Afrique, l’arbre à karité également le renouvellement cellulaire. pousse à l’état sauvage essentiellement dans (Source: Sud Quotidien, Sénégal, 16 juillet Many believe that Sacha Inchi oil is les régions boisées d’Afrique de l’Ouest et 2008.) superior to olive, sunflower, soybean, corn, Centrale. Sa longévité qui peut atteindre 300 palm and groundnut oils for domestic, ans et sa taille de plus de 15 mètres en font Ghana’s local shea butter industry to be industrial, cosmetic and medicinal uses. un arbre majestueusement prolifique. enhanced Sacha Inchi, a major source of Omega, a fatty La fabrication artisanale du beurre de The United Nations Development acid essential for human life, contains karité est une affaire de femmes avant tout; Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with Omega 3 (48 percent), Omega 6 (36 percent), elles se regroupent pour les récoltes de la Africa 2000 Network held a stakeholders’ Omega 9 (9 percent), protein (33 percent) and mi-juin à la mi-septembre. Il faut savoir que workshop to empower rural women in antioxidants (50 percent). Sacha Inchi is pour obtenir 20 kg de beurre de karité100 kg northern Ghana to boost the local shea believed to boost energy, clear the d’amandes sont nécessaires. De cette butter industry. The project beneficiaries bloodstream and help to transport nutrients récolte naît un échange commercial entre les would be trained under the Local Level to cells. femmes des groupements et certaines Integrated Information System (LIIS), a Production begins after 6.5 months of marques de cosmétiques. component of the Sustainable Rural transplantation, with first-year yields Chaque opération est réalisée avec soin Livelihoods Project (SRLP) of UNDP. averaging from 0.7 to 2.0 tonnes/ha. Sacha en respectant la qualité et la nature du Mr Shigeki Komatsubara, UNDP Deputy Inchi can be cultivated with cover crops, produit; de ce fait, chaque principe actif reste Resident Representative in Ghana, said the reaching ages of up to ten years. For intact. On prend l’amande qui se trouve à LIIS model provides critical information example, Puerto Inca had an increase in l’intérieur de la noix que l’on fait sécher, services to local shea butter producers production from 1 200kg/ha/year to 5 000kg/ concasser, torréfier et enfin moudre. La through the development of an exchange ha/year with a value of US$10 062.50 ha/year. poudre est ensuite pilée et l’on obtient alors platform, using the Development Information Sacha Inchi oil has won the Seed Oils of une pâte que l’on mélange à de l’eau Portal. “The portal is expected to provide a the World contest held in Paris in both 2004 bouillante. Il en ressort à la surface toute one-stop shop for obtaining development and 2006 along with two other awards for l’huile et les impuretés sont déposées au technological innovation in its extraction. It fond de la cuve. On retire cette huile que l’on also shows great potential for the production fait cuire. Une fois solidifiée, elle deviendra le of biodiesel. fameux beurre de karité que l’on vénère tant. SHEA 2009: OPTIMIZING Sacha Inchi oil is used widely in the Adulé pour ses vertus protectrices et THE GLOBAL VALUE CHAIN countries to which it has been exported, and adoucissantes, le beurre de karité est le is becoming better known and appreciated in remède à toute peau en mal d’hydratation et An international meeting on shea butter Peru. Now it is found in major supermarket de luminosité. Les cosmétologues l’ont bien Shea 2009: Optimizing the Global Value chains and other shops in Lima in addition to compris en le déclinant à la perfection en Chain will take place in Ouagadougou, clinics and homeopathic stores. crème pour le corps, shampoing, baume Burkina Faso from 25 to 27 March 2009. Given the importance of this crop, it is vital pour les lèvres, etc. (Please see page 62 for more to conduct further research in agricultural Bien qu’il soit utilisé pour la peau, les information.) management, genetic improvement, cheveux ou dans l’alimentation en tant que integrated pest management, disease and substitut du beurre de cacao, le karité n’en

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 18 January 2009 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS 35

information packaged to enhance rural of illegal trading is occurring, especially as a approved it. Stevia sweeteners are still development implementation of Community result of the long borders the country shares banned in much of Europe. Action Plans (CAPs)”, said Mr Komatsubara. with China and India. As a sweetener, stevia developed an Mrs Christy Ahenkora-Banya, head of the Despite apparent efforts to cultivate R. unpleasant liquorice taste that researchers SRLP unit of UNDP, Ghana, said the project serpentina commercially in India and Nepal, have had trouble erasing, the Chicago would identify the marketable quality of shea little evidence proves that this cultivation is Tribune said. (Source: United Press butter and set up the ideal production satisfying a significant portion of internal and International [United States of America], 30 environment for local women’s producer international demand for the species. As the November 2008.) groups. It would explore new markets for status of R. serpentina remains in question, shea butter sales promotion, provide urgent action is required to clarify the source Finlays Kenya in stevia venture business management skills for local and quantity of traded specimens at all levels Outgrowers are set to benefit from a move by women’s producer groups and transmit and to develop and enforce measures to private agricultural firm Finlays Kenya to production skills among local women ensure that wild harvests and trade are grow 5 000 ha of stevia whose sap is used for processors. maintained within sustainable levels. medicinal and food flavouring. The ultimate goal is to empower women in (Source: T. Mulliken & P. Crofton. 2008. Finlays is embarking on the project in northern Ghana and alleviate their acute Review of the status, harvest, trade and partnership with PureCircle – a Malaysian poverty through enhancing the viability of the management of seven Asian CITES-listed sweeteners production firm – which will inject local shea butter industry as sustainable medicinal and aromatic plant species. Bonn, KSh1.2 billion (US$20 million) into the joint business. Germany, Bundesamt für Naturschutz.) venture. Finlays will also be refining the The Africa 2000 Network, the extract derived from stevia and has plans to implementing partner, would be responsible put up an extraction plant. The project for the transmission of skills and knowledge provides a diversification opportunity for in shea butter production among local Kenyan farmers reeling from declining yields processors when the project is implemented. and earnings under monoculture cash crop (Source: Modern Ghana [Ghana], 16 August systems and rising costs of inputs such as 2008.) fertilizers. The company intends to grow stevia within its own estates first and then roll it out to the SNAKEROOT (RAUVOLFIA smallholder sector, once it has the technical % SERPENTINA) expertise. Finlays expects the project to “create several hundred high-end jobs”. Snakeroot endangered across Asia The joint venture with PureCircle – which Like other wild plant species, snakeroot or Rauvolfia serpentina has most of its production activities in China Rauvolfia serpentina, is an important and Malaysia but incorporated in Bermuda – medicinal tool for many people in the Asia % STEVIA goes by the name JVCo. It will be majority- region. In India, R. serpentina has been used owned by PureCircle but the local firm has for centuries to treat anxiety, psychosis, FDA may approve stevia-based sweeteners the option to hold the majority of 51 percent in schizophrenia, insomnia and epilepsy. In Chicago. The United States Food and Drug the coming years. Nepal, R. serpentina is valued for its curative Administration (FDA) may approve zero- PureCircle’s main concern is stevia, a non- powers against hypertension, depression, calorie sweeteners derived from a shrub caloric herb native to Paraguay that has been memory loss and other mental and physical called stevia (Stevia rebaudiana), analysts say. used as a sweetener and flavour enhancer for disorders. R. serpentina is also used as a Major beverage companies – PepsiCo Inc. centuries. Demand for the commodity is traditional medicine in China, Bangladesh, and Coca-Cola Co. – want to market stevia- rising because of its natural sweetener Myanmar and Thailand. sweetened products once the sweetener gets qualities as opposed to its synthetic rivals. An Various publications and reports approval, the Chicago Tribune said. extract from the stevia leaf, using a patent- contradict one another regarding the Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. already has a protected process, is over 100 times sweeter harvesting quantities and market sizes of R. stevia-based sweetener in grocery stores than sugar. serpentina, yet its use in pharmaceuticals, and Chicago-based Merisant Co., maker of Of the US$20 million that PureCircle is largely in the Chinese medicine sector, has the popular sweetener Equal, will soon do putting in Kenya, an estimated US$15 million considerably increased since the 1950s. R. the same, the newspaper said. has been allocated to the crude stevia serpentina is now recognized as endangered But some public watchdogs, including the extraction plant, and the balance to the in several countries across the region such Center for Science in the Public Interest, are plantations and associated working capital. as India, Bangladesh and Viet Nam. Yet little raising concerns about potential cancer- The joint venture will own both the stevia information is available regarding its status causing properties of stevia. The centre is plantations and the extraction plant. in range countries, most crucially those urging the FDA to do more testing before PureCircle will have exclusive rights to believed to be involved in the international granting approval, the Chicago Tribune stated. acquire all stevia extracts and, or, dry stevia trade of the species, including Thailand and Native to South America and already leaves produced by JVCo for a period of seven Myanmar where R. serpentina is considered used as a sweetener there, Japan years with renewable options thereafter. “vulnerable”. Furthermore, CITES authorities developed stevia-based sweeteners several (Source: Business Daily Africa [Kenya], 23 in Myanmar believe that a significant amount decades ago and Australia has recently July 2008.)

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 18 January 2009 36 PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

%TRUFFLES very nearly time to harvest our native British Truffles have a highly nutritional value summer truffle. The ones we have seen so thanks to their minerals, notably iron, Endangered truffles set to be reared in test far this year bubbling to the surface are proteins, and amino acids, minerals that the tubes looking bigger and they are in greater body needs and cannot generate. In addition to French scientists will try to create black number. We harvested 77–88 lbs in 2005, this, truffles are easily digested. truffles in test tubes in an attempt to revive 176 lbs in 2006 and an amazing 396 lbs in The Libyan truffle, found in deserts, is one an increasingly endangered industry. The 2007 but we expect to exceed that this year.” of the best known worldwide. The Al-Hamada French region of Corrèze is to sign an accord Truffles can command prices of up to Al-Hamra region is considered to be one of the with key organizations in the industry to £2 500/kg for the most highly prized largest regions producing this truffle. unlock the secrets of the Périgourd truffle. specimens. (Source: Daily Mail [United Truffles have been known in the Libyan Known to connoisseurs as “black Kingdom], 10 September 2008.) Arab Jamahiriya since the Roman era, as they diamonds”, truffles, which are usually found were the favourite food of the upper class. growing on the roots of trees, can sell for up Italian truffle fetches US$200 000 at Macau Unlike most city people, desert inhabitants to £860/kg. France produced 1 000 tonnes of auction know all about truffles and how to extract Périgourd truffles a year at the start of the Rome. Defying the economic downturn, an them from the soil. last century, but production has fallen to Italian white truffle weighing just over 1 kg Truffles have a lot of benefits: according to 40–50 tonnes a year. sold at an international auction on Saturday medical researchers they are used in treating In the three-year project, scientists will for US$200 000. The prized tuber went for trachoma, a disease infecting the eye, and can culture cloned truffles with baby trees in test the second year running to Hong Kong-born also increase fecundity in both men and tubes. Once established, tree and truffle will casino mogul Stanley Ho after an auction women. Because of these benefits, the best be planted and allowed to mature naturally. held simultaneously in Rome, London, Abu varieties of truffle are expensive. The price of The researchers hope to establish which Dhabi and Macau. Last December, Ho some varieties may reach €2 500/kg or more aspects of the environment are linked to bought a 1.5-kg specimen – one of the on the market. truffle growth. (Source: The Times Online, biggest truffles unearthed in half a century – The customary variety of this fungus is sold [United Kingdom], 4 December 2008.) for a record US$330 000. in domestic markets, whereas the average The 1.08-kg truffle – the biggest found in and excellent varieties are exported to the Gulf Australian truffle industry set for rapid growth Italy this year – was picked in November in and to European countries. Australian truffle production could grow to the central Molise region. Some attempts to cultivate the desert ten times its current level by 2013, but Output of white truffles – which are not truffle, which grows abundantly in North market development and further research cultivated and only grow naturally in forests – Africa, have been made recently in Finland by will be needed to ensure the industry has a has fallen in Italy over the past few years, the Libyan doctor and specialist, Salem El long-term future. These are some of the largely because climate change has brought Shamkh. He succeeded in producing high- conclusions of a stocktake of the industry a damaging mix of drought and torrential quality truffles in a short period of time. presented by the Rural Industries Research rains. Scarce supply has pushed prices for The experiment concludes that and Development Corporation (RIRDC) at a normal-sized truffles above €4 000/kg. establishing truffle farms in North Africa is meeting of the Australian Truffle Growers (Source: Reuters [United States of America], possible provided that there is a correct Association in Victoria. 29 November 2008.) scientific basis. Accordingly, a good and Research established that production is abundant production can be obtained with a likely to grow from 800 kg in 2007 (currently The Libyan truffle, fruit of the desert production of approximately 200 worth A$1.6 million) to between five and ten In some Arab countries, the truffle is known as tonnes/ha/year. The strange fungus might tonnes in 2013 from existing truffières alone. the earth tree or the earth egg. It is also known have a high economic value in the near future The size of mature truffière land is as the thunder daughter. Truffle fungus grows and could, one day, become a source of expected to increase from 250 to 600 ha in the in lime land near some desert plants forming a revenue. (Source: Alarab online [United same time frame at an average growth rate of symbiotic association, i.e. a mutually beneficial Kingdom], 31 July 2008.) p over 20 percent/year. (Source: Australian relationship between them. It grows by itself Food, Melbourne [Australia], 28 July 2008.) with no interference, whenever the conditions are suitable for its growth. These conditions Soggy summer yields bumper British truffle consist of a sufficient humidity and a union harvest between the air and lightning; these elements Our long lamented soggy summer is cause for fall down with raindrops and penetrate the soil celebration in some circles. Those in the truffle to make truffles grow. business cannot believe their luck. This year’s Truffles grow in spring when the soil is wet weather has produced a bumper crop. saturated with water. There are several types Truffle harvests have doubled year by year of truffles, e.g. the desert truffle and the since 2005 thanks to our rainy summers and European truffle. However, the desert truffle Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the experts believe this year’s harvest will be has a highly nutritional value and grows only in world. It beats money, power and even bigger. Nigel Hadden-Paton, who runs arid regions; it differs from the type that grows influence. Truffle UK Ltd, Britain’s first commercial in European forests. There are many varieties Henry Chester truffle-growing company, said: “The wet of desert truffles, including Zobeidi, Khalasi, weather has been a godsend for us, and it’s Jobi and Hober.

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 18 January 2009