A Sourcing Story
Nestled along a river in the lowland plains of Nepal is the small agrarian community of Sangrampur. Splaying out from the river are vast grids of dusty turmeric fields. Here, many local farmers grow and prepare the golden spice for market. They are indelibly marked by the sign of their trade—amber-stained hands.
Fallow Dreams and Difficult Years
Unlike turmeric farmers in other regions of the world, growers in Sangrampur must invest untold hours in preparing their crop for sale. Current market demands require that farmers not only grow and harvest turmeric roots, but also scrub, boil, and process the deeply pigmented tubers—all before they get a chance to sell.
Even in the wake of a successful harvest, these small-scale growers ride frequent waves of market instability; all too often, they receive significantly less for their labor-intensive turmeric than it is worth.
Ramekwal Saha is one of these golden-palmed farmers struggling to climb above economic stresses in Sangrampur. He and his wife long dreamed that their farming venture would bring enough financial security to send their children to school. Bolstered by his vision, Ramekwal sowed his first crop of turmeric in a small stony parcel on loan from his neighbor, and over the course of many backbreaking seasons, his average yield grew to over one ton of turmeric tubers.
Unfortunately, with the oppressive state of the spice market, even this relative success was not near enough to send Ramekwal’s eight children to school. The Saha family was caught in an impossible trade climate.
No Longer Alone
Like so many other small farmers in his region, Ramekwal needed an allied force to turn the tide. Such a friend came in the form of a do-TERRA Co--Impact Sourcing® partnership. When do-TERRA offered a fair alternative to the current demoralizing system, Ramekwal was willing to link arms in good faith.
Glimmers of New Gold
do-TERRA’s sourcing experts recognized the challenges Ramekwal and his fellow growers faced and designed their relationship to alleviate the stresses of their trade. As a doTERRA sourcing partner, Ramekwal is no longer responsible for the pre-sale cleaning, boiling, and drying. Instead, pre-distillation preparation is outsourced to local women, giving them unprecedented access to fair wage employment. With more time and manpower, Ramekwal can now focus efforts on production expansion.
With doTERRA as a guaranteed buyer, the market uncertainty and instability Ramekwal faced each season are foes of the past. Now, Ramekwal receives competitive compensation for his turmeric, and always on time.
His income has increased by 25 percent and his seasonal yield has swelled from just over one ton to forty tons of turmeric. With these new conditions working in his favor, Ramekwal can afford to invest in a future previously unimaginable. He can continue to expand his turmeric production with confidence that when he yields a high-quality crop, an ethical sales opportunity—a trusted partner—will be there.
Reaping Other Fruits
Explosive production and climbing profits have certainly changed the landscape of the Saha family’s future, but nothing is sweeter to Ramekwal and his wife than the enrollment of all eight of their children in school. For this dedicated father, turmeric farming has always been about sowing seeds of hope for his children’s futures. It is a gift extended with sun-leathered, yellow-stained hands.
Where to Purchase
Turmeric essential oil can be purchased in two forms:
- Turmeric essential oil (15 ml)
- Turmeric dual chamber capsules (60 capsules)
