Mint production increases in parts of West
Most of the mint oil in the U.S. is produced in the West, and some parts of the region are still increasing production.
“I think Idaho is going to increase its production in the next three to 5 years,” Roger Batt, executive director of the Idaho Mint Commission, said.
From 2007 to 2012, Idaho increased mint harvest by a little over 4,000 acres. In the same time, Oregon saw a nearly 6,000-acre increase in mint harvests for oil.
Washington state, however, has seen a decrease in acreage, and Ken Christensen, a mint grower and chairman of the Far West Mint Marketing Order, said he doesn’t see it increasing.
Christensen said production will most likely begin moving to other states because of the aging demographic of farmers and less demand for spearmint, a popular crop in Washington, versus peppermint.
In 2012, the USDA Census of Agriculture reported that 96,129 acres of mint were harvested for oil. Of that total, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California produced approximately 77.5 percent.
Producing mint oil takes special know-how, Christensen said.
“It’s not like everyone knows how to grow it,” Christensen said. “You have either been in it for generations or you have a neighbor that helps you.”
Idaho ranks number three in the nation for peppermint production, with 16,000 acres. The state also grows a much smaller percentage of spearmint, only about 1,000 acres, according to Batt.
“Ninety percent of all mint oil goes into gum, toothpaste and candy,” Batt said. The other 10 percent is used for medicinal purposes.
Mint can also be used for tea leaves.
The demand for oil depends on the type of mint.
Peppermint oil is in higher demand than spearmint, Batt said, because peppermint has menthol in it. Also, spearmint has a marketing order attached to it, he said. Basically, there is a limit to how much spearmint can be produced to prevent flooding the market. The system works based on a lottery to decide who is able to grow spearmint, he said.
“Mint is a product that can be stored for a for a long time,” Christensen said, but that can be a problem as well. If there isn’t enough demand the stocks get really high and drive the price down, which is part of the reason spearmint oil production is regulated.
Mint oil, no matter the kind, requires expensive equipment to produce.
Farmers cut the mint and leave it in windrows for several days to dry, Batt explained. Then, the mint is chopped into small pieces with a silage chopper before it is placed into large sealable mint tubs.
The tubs are then hauled to a mint still, where they are hooked to a steam hose, Batt said. Steam is pumped into the bottom of the bin to release the oil in the mint and turn it into vapor. The vapor is then taken and allowed to cool and turn into liquid. The oil separates to the top of the water and is separated.
Mint stills alone cost around $1 million, according Christensen, who mentioned that propane costs to run the still can also be high.
“It is kind of like beer. You have a three-tiered system,” Batt said, explaining how the sales system for mint oil works.
He said producers often contract with a mint dealer, usually for 2-3 years. The dealer then sells the oil to companies such as Colgate or Wrigley’s.
Prices are currently in the upper teens for a pound of mint oil, according to Batt and Christensen. However, Christensen said that the Scotch variety of spearmint in slightly lower, about $14 per pound.