SNS Insider reported on 2026-07-20 that the essential oils market is projected to exceed $52.02 billion by 2035. This projection indicates sustained expansion within a global sector relevant to high-value agricultural production.
Controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) offers specific advantages for producing botanicals used in essential oils. These include consistent quality, year-round production, and optimized resource use. Such cultivation methods address increasing demand for traceable and sustainably sourced ingredients.
Medicinal and aromatic plants, including peppermint, lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, sage, geranium, and basil, are cultivated under these conditions. These crops serve as direct inputs for essential oil and extract production. The broader sector for medicinal and aromatic plants experiences an approximate 8% annual growth.
The Efarms perspective
Efarms' facility in Silivri, Istanbul, Türkiye, is designed to capitalize on projected growth in the essential oils market. The project integrates a 49,000 m² hydroponic greenhouse for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants with a 1,000 m² CO₂ extraction facility. This configuration enables the controlled production of crops such as peppermint, lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, sage, geranium, and basil. The on-site CO₂ extraction system, a 500 L supercritical unit, processes 90,000 kg of biomass annually. This yields essential oils, CO₂ extracts, and hydrosols, alongside fresh and dried herbs. Products are targeted for markets in Türkiye, the EU, the Middle East, and the USA. The project's adherence to compliance frameworks including İyi Tarım, EU market requirements, CBAM, EU Taxonomy, and AAOIFI facilitates market entry and product assurance. Efarms has invested ₺43,071,610, representing 16.11% completion of the total project investment of ₺346,306,214. A planned expansion includes an additional 250,000 m² module, demonstrating a scalable approach to meeting future market demand.
Source: SNS Insider