Mentha oil futures paint a weak picture

NEW DELHI: Mentha oil futures slipped 1.20 per cent in the futures market on Friday.

MCX Mentha futures were down by Rs 18.50, or 1.20 per cent, at Rs 1,518.60 at around 11.21 am.

Extracted from the herb Mentha arvensis through distillation, mentha oil is one of the important essential oils. It is widely used in food and flavourings.

Additionally, natural menthol has cooling and soothing effect on skin and mucous membrane of the human body, making it a useful ingredient in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industry.

Mentha is normally sown in February and March and harvested in May and June.