The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia offers the best conditions for cultivation and wild collection of medicinal and spice plants due to its favourable climatic conditions.
My mission in spring 2018 under the auspices of the organisation “Swisscontact-Senior Expert Corps” was aimed at the take up operation and process optimization of an existing distillation plant.
Due to abnormally low temperatures of up to minus 18 °C, we had considerable difficulties in the supply of steam, which could be remedied with increasing temperatures and a great commitment of the service engineers from Skopje.
During the test, it was found that technical changes are needed to improve the yield of the oils, but they will take a few weeks.
I will certainly travel to Macedonia again in the autumn of 2018 to complete the trials. Until then, the planned mini-laboratory will also be set up and we can evaluate the results of the laboratory system with those of the production plant.
