Rising demand for kewda oil a blessing for 200,000 people in Odisha’s Ganjam

Kewda oil:

Ganjam kewda (Pandanus fascicularis) oil is steam-distilled from the flower of the aromatic screw pine plant.
It is registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 by the Government of India.
The flower is harvested from around 5,000 hectares in the district.
Its oil is produced in Ganjam, Chatrapur, Chikiti and Rangeilunda blocks of the district.
Used as an aromatic in the food industry, flavoured tobacco and pharmaceutical companies among others.
An oil maker needs 30,000 flowers to extract a litre of kewda oil.