Sarajevo: 16th Festival of Tea and Medicinal Herbs

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The theme of the 16th International Festival of Tea and Medicinal Herbs, held in Sarajevo from June 6 to 10, will be the application of essential oils in aromatherapy.  

Among other contents, organizers highlight: "Return to Tradition", "Modern Notes", and "Skin Care", within which numerous exhibitors will present their products.

Festival Director, Samira Katica-Arnautović, touched upon some of the planned programs, noting that a trend of adding value to products and the entry of young people into the sector is noticeable in the medicinal herbs segment.

"Among the exhibitors at this year's fair, we also have companies that have found their place in export markets, in the skin care and aromatherapy program. This will be an ideal opportunity for all interested parties to learn more firsthand about the range and use of these products," stated Katica-Arnautović.

The Festival of Tea and Medicinal Herbs draws public attention to the great potential that Bosnia and Herzegovina possesses. 

"Analyses by the USAID/Sweden FARMA II project and the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH have shown that the export of essential oils has been growing at a record pace in recent years, reaching a value of almost 10 million KM last year – primarily thanks to the export of immortelle oil. However, aromatherapy in Bosnia and Herzegovina is very poorly developed, and our consumers simply do not know for what purposes and how they can use more than twenty types of essential oils that BiH exports to markets around the world," stated the Festival Directorate.

Within the "Return to Tradition" program, the focus will be on products that have long been indispensable in Bosnian households but are increasingly difficult to find in large shopping centers, such as elderflower syrup, rose jam, and numerous local teas and similar products. 

Within the "Modern Notes" segment, recipes and effects of mint and lemon water, cucumber water, nettle syrup, and similar products used for body detoxification, weight loss, and the like will be presented.