Tucked between the village and the forest, Haruna and his father-in-law worked diligently through the night distilling dried patchouli plants, stoking the boiler with firewood, drops of fragrant ...

Patchouli thrives in Indonesia’s tropical climate, which supplies over 80% of the global market. Prices for one kilogram of patchouli oil for farmers can be up to 2.4 million rupiah ($147). A ...

Haruna, 42, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, is a patchouli farmer in Simboro, a sub-district of western Sulawesi. He and his father-in-law have been waiting in line for several weeks ...

SIMBORO, Indonesia--Tucked between the village and the forest, Haruna and his father-in-law worked diligently through the night distilling dried patchouli plants, stoking the boiler with firewood ...

Demand for the patchouli plant’s oils has skyrocketed in recent years, and so too has the number of farmers in the region who now grow and process it. SIMBORO, Indonesia — Tucked between the ...

Patchouli distillation also has the potential to increase deforestation, as firewood is used from the surrounding forests to heat water for the steam distillation process.

SIMBORO, Indonesia — Tucked between the village and the forest, Haruna and his father-in-law worked diligently through the night distilling dried patchouli plants, stoking the boiler with ...

Workers filter patchouli oil at a refinery in Simboro, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) ...