«The cultivation of the herbs that are sold in Greece and abroad is ecological,» Vangelis Papasifis, the owner of an agricultural company underlined in an interview to «In-On» magazine.
Question. Tell us about the value of herbs
Answer. The value of herbs is based on the quality but also the location significantly contributes to it. In Anopolis of Sfakia we have a lot of sun, resulting in more aromas. The harvest, however, is smaller than in northern Greece, but the quality stands out. So the price of Cretan herbs is higher due to the fact that the cultivation is ecological.
Question. Which herbs are cultivated?
Answer. The herbs we cultivate for trade are the following: malotera, dittany, marjoram, oregano and sage. However, we have separated crops for the tourist who will visit our region; namely hyssopus officinalis, alabanon that myrrh is produced, rosemary and thyme.
Question. Does your company export?
Answer. We export to Austria and Germany.
Question. What do the herbs that you produce offer to the human body?
Answer. Malotera is used for colds and respiratory diseases. Especially if used with honey as a hot beverage it is ideal for sore throat. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory as well as against osteoporosis and cancer.
Dittany is an endemic plant found on the island of Crete and is used as a beverage. Hippocrates used it against stomach and digestive disorders, rheumatism, arthritis, as a healing herb, for menopause, as a tonic and antispasmodic. Marjoram in Greece has been known since ancient times when it was used as a medicine against stomach and intestinal discomfort.
Oregano has many pharmaceutical properties and the most known one is the active substance of carbaprol (pharmaceutical term)
More particularly, it is anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal. In the form of a beverage it is used for bowel weakness, it is expectorant for the cough and helps in hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Sage is used in medicine in a beverage form as an internal antiperspirant (especially against night sweats due to tuberculosis and neuralgia). Sage in the form of a beverage is ideal for oral therapies in case of injuries, bruises, pharyngitis and gingivitis.
Hyssopus is used as antispasmodic, anti fungal, antiseptic, antibiotic, tonic, astringent, for stomachache as well as to dissolve stomach gases.
Myrrh comes from the alabanon.
Also from the rosemary, if we burn its wood, we can get a form of a carbon dust that can whiten the teeth and cure any tooth disease.
If we place rosemary leaves in the mattress, nightmares are prevented.
If we smash the leaves and put them on a wound, it helps healing and curing cancerous ulcerations.
A spoon made of rosemary wood protects against microbes.
If a flask is made of rosemary wood, it helps to conserve the wine in a perfect condition. Moreover, putting rosemary leaves in a barrel ,it helps the wine not to spoil.
The scent of burning rosemary keeps away scorpions and snakes.
Thyme in a beverage form can be used to treat cough and bronchitis. To prepare an infusion, put 1 teaspoon of dry or 2 teaspoons of fresh herb, without the stem, into 1 cup of boiling water. Cover it for 10 minutes and then strain it.
Question. Tell us about the company’s outline
Answer. Agricultural production began about six years ago. We initially started with herbs of more varieties but we ended up with the ones that are mostly in demand. We do not use either chemicals or machinery.
At the same time, we own a small cottage unit and we produce tsikoudia, wine, olive oil flavored with herbs, and these products are sold to tourists.
Curriculum Vitae
Vangelis Papasifis is the owner of an agricultural company. He is 38 years old and he is a founding member of the Agricultural Cooperative of Sfakia that counts 400 members.
Source of publication 27th edition In-On