[Latin Name] Curcuma longa L.

[Plant Source] Root From India

[Specification] Curcuminoids 95% HPLC

[Appearance] Yellow powder

Plant Part Used: Root

[Particle size]80Mesh

[Loss on drying] ≤5.0%

[Heavy Metal] ≤10PPM

[Storage] Store in cool & dry area, keep away from the direct light and heat.

[Shelf life] 24 Months

[Package] Packed in paper-drums and two plastic-bags inside.

[Net weight] 25kgs/drum

[What is Curcuma Longa?]

Turmeric is an herbaceous plant known scientifically as Curcuma longa. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, which includes ginger. Tumeric has rhizomes rather than true roots, which are the primary source of commercial value for this plant. Tumeric originates from southwest India, where it has been a stable of Siddha medicine for thousands of years. It is also a common spice in Indian cuisine and is often used as flavoring for Asian mustards.

Dr. Steven Lamm, author of the best-selling book “No Guts, No Glory”, says far too often, the only thing keep a patient from getting the relief they need are the uncomfortable feelings people get when they talk about their digestive system.

Spanish/Nat

The cochineal- a parasite that produces pigment used in textiles and cosmetics – is in danger of extinction in parts of Peru.

The parasite has been farmed in Peru since pre-Columbian times and is a highly sought after product.

Peru is the largest cochineal producer in the world, but drought and a lack of government investment have devastated much of the industry.

Cochineal farming is a lucrative business in Peru.

Some agricultural communities dedicate as much as 60 per cent of their land for the cultivation of the cactus on which the cochineal thrives.

This small bug- or parasite- is the only natural producer of the dye carmine- a deep vermilion colour.

Carmine is used in the pharmaceutical and food industry – as well as on textiles and cosmetics.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish)
“The cochineal is used for lipstick, for make up and cosmetics.”
SUPER CAPTION: Flor de Maria Jayo, farmer

A combination of the effects of the weather phenomenon El Nino, and lack of government support for farmers have had devastating results.

In some areas production has dropped dramatically, and in many areas ceased completely as lack of water kills the cochineal, and destroys the roots of the plants on which it lives off.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish)
“Water in the area is very expensive. It’s 60 or 70 soles per water tank and one tank is not enough for a Hectare, so we need at least for water tanks a month to feed the plant properly, since it needs a lot of water.”
SUPER CAPTION: Valentin Ayma, farmer

In the Manchay region these farmers last year harvest between 15 and 20 kilogrammes per hectare every three months.

But this year they have not had a single harvest.

Synthetic dyes have in the past largely excluded cochineal from European countries and the United States.

But its popularity is growing in Western markets, as consumers move away from artificial dyes in food, drink and cosmetics.

A kilogram of the dried parasite fetches around 26 U-S dollars on international markets.

One way to overcome the dry conditions is to set up an irrigation system.

But the financial cost of doing this is high- and local farmers expect no subsidies from the government to assist them.

The nature of the industry itself, and the way production is spread out among thousands of small holding is exacerbating the problem.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish)
“One of the problems the cochineal poses –and 85 percent of the bug in the world comes from Peru– is that more often than not, without any reason for it, prices vary enormously. It’s a business that is shared by many small businessmen and that allows for middlemen to speculate. By hiding or releasing the product at their will, they cause havoc in the market and that’s bad for Peru.”
SUPER CAPTION: Ricardo Vega Llona, pigment producer and exporter

The cochineal has been farmed in Peru since pre-Columbian times.

Documents written by the Spanish Conquistadors when they first reached Mexico in 1518, describe how the Aztecs harvested them from cacti.

But, having survived for hundreds of years, the fate of the cochineal industry now looks bleak.

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