BHU: Indigenous Steam Distillation Unit for Medicinal and Aromatic Oil Extraction

Mirzapur: Achieving a significant milestone in agricultural innovation and rural empowerment, the Rajiv Gandhi South Campus (RGSC) of Banaras Hindu University has successfully commissioned a state-of-the-art, indigenously developed steam distillation unit. This facility is dedicated to scientifically extracting high-quality medicinal and aromatic substances from medicinal and aromatic plants.

This project, a hallmark of collaborative expertise, was led by Prof. B.M.N. Kumar, Professor In-charge of RGSC, BHU, and executed by Dr. Shashidhar K. S., Farm In-charge, and the Farm Management Committee. The technical and horticultural design was initiated under the expert guidance of Dr. Bipin Kumar Singh, Guest Faculty of Horticulture at RGSC.

This multi-purpose unit is a revolutionary step for the agricultural community, capable of efficiently processing plants like Palmarosa, Geranium, Mentha (Mint), Tulsi (Holy Basil), Rose, Lavender, Citronella, Jasmine, Vetiver, and even Sandalwood. It converts locally grown biomass into valuable medicinal and aromatic elements, creating new economic possibilities and reducing post-harvest losses.

Key Features & Benefits for Stakeholders:

• Empowering Farmers: This facility is a boon for local producers. Farmers can now get their aromatic crops processed at RGSC, BHU, for a minimal, fixed charge, bringing transparency, affordability, and value-addition to their doorstep.
• Extensive Processing Capacity: With a 5-quintal (5oo kg) per batch capacity, this unit is designed for efficiency, enabling large-scale processing that meets practical agricultural scales.