CAHEB
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About Company
Overview
The Coopérative Agricole des Huiles Essentielles de Bourbon (CAHEB) was established to regulate the production of essential oils. Prior to 1963, production was in the hands of settlers led by large landowners, who sold the oils to brokers at varying prices. This led to unstable production and volatile pricing, with fluctuations of up to 50% within a year. Large traders stockpiled the oils during times of low prices, exacerbating the market's speculative nature.
To combat this instability, producers and exporters formed the CAHEB in 1963 to organize collection and stabilize prices. The cooperative brought together most of the planters, offering them purchase and price guarantees in exchange for delivering all of their essence to the cooperative and providing a quality product that was green in color. Today, CAHEB represents almost all of the producers, providing technical support, product collection, and marketing to foreign markets. The cooperative aims to revitalize the sector, which produces some of the world's best geranium and vetyver Bourbon oils, despite only modestly contributing to the island's trade balance.
To achieve this goal, CAHEB has implemented modern economic mechanisms, including promoting the mechanization of production to increase productivity and reduce costs. In 2001, the cooperative initiated trials of mobile stills fed by a steam boiler and mechanical cutters for geranium. If successful, these techniques could significantly increase production and create new opportunities for essential oils from Réunion. CAHEB's main objective is to develop a stable core of producers who use techniques to increase productivity while meeting market demand.