Did you know that wild oregano, mainly harvested in the Mediterranean countries is at risk of extinction?
As oregano is a perennial plant, it sprouts every year from its roots and seeds. When harvested, special care should be taken not to destructively uproot the native plants and not all the flowering stems, which produce the seeds from which the new plants will emerge, should be cut off. Last but not least, the guidelines about the maximum quantities per collector and the allowed harvesting periods must be followed.
Fortunately, in the last years, EU legislation guidlines have been set up to protect biodiversity. This way more and more wild collectors are being trained and certified. Procurement plays a significant role in this. The more buyers seek certified wild-collected raw material, the more wild collectors become certified.
This way the over-collection and destructive uprooting, with what this implies for the species’ existence, is minimized.
Our way of preserving biodiversity is by supporting local farmers and certified wild collectors cooperatives. By collecting smaller quantities from different farmers, not only the over-collection risks are minimized but also the premium quality of raw material is maintained.
United Nations’ SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) #11, #12 and #15 focus on how we can achieve sustainable communities, responsible consumption and production and biodiversity. We focus on the way our organic cultivated or wild botanicals, are being harvested so that the native species continue to thrive.
This way we truly believe that both procurement professionals and farmers can contribute to the sustainable livelihood of native plants so that they can continue to sprout for years to come.
“Nature provides the best to us and our families – our simple responsibility is to allow that natural circle to flow on.” Anastasia Kitsikopoulou, Sales & Procurement
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