Omani Luban Sap Regarded As Enduring Economic Treasure, Nat'l Emblem

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Report by Nasser Al-Ajmi
MUSCAT, Jan 29 (KUNA) -- Given its historic and economic significance, Omani frankincense, which grows in abundance in the scorching Dhofar desert, has become tantamount to a natural and economic treasure that is highly instrumental in keeping the Gulf Arab Sultanate's Economy afloat.
Known in local vernacular as "Luban," frankincense is a solid, gum-like material that comes from the Boswellia tree, while its extracted oil is used in a wide variety of cosmetics including soaps, luxury perfumes and lotions, which makes it a very popular souvenir for tourists to take back home.
Besides its environmental and cosmetic value, the mystical scent the Omani frankincense produces is omnipresent in the Gulf Arab Sultanate, particularly in the southernmost province of Dhofar, where you can find the purest and most unadulterated form of the Luban.
Discussing the significant use of the sap in cosmetic production, Dhofar University's research center chief Dr. Luai Rashan cited the "healing and health benefits" of this substance, as proven in extensive studies carried out by the center to examine the potency of Omani Luban.
The oil extracted from these grayish-white resins is believed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help boost the immune system and reduce inflammation, among other benefits including reducing stress and anxiety, boosting mood and mental clarity, supporting respiratory health, soothing inflammation and promoting spiritual growth, he told KUNA.
Dhofar University has contributed to the production of Omani frankincense-based supplements, which range from general health to nutritional support, he explained, describing such local efforts including perpetual research on the matter, as aiming to further "reinforce" the "immense health benefits" of the Luban, he added.
On its role in ancient Omani history, journalist and writer Faisal Al-Alawi said that the Luban had been traded for thousands of years, with diverse civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, while its aromatic properties and use in religious rituals, medicine and perfumery is the subject of folklore.
Through generations, the "historic role" of Omani frankincense is in line with the Gulf Arab Sultanate's "broad economic vision," he underlined, saying that products derived from the famed sap have become a commercial and trade "window" through which Muscat reaches out to different civilizations.
Regarded as a "national product," Omani Luban is renowned for its sublime quality, which explains the "global demand" for the product, particularly, from the high end perfume and cosmetic industry that relies on its use as a staple ingredient, according to merchant Maamar Al-Kahtairi, citing that the average price of a kilogram ranges from four to 50 Omani riyals.
The future remains bright for this mystical seed thanks in part to skyrocketing global demand coupled with extensive research that has proven the health benefits of both the internal and external use of the Luban, he added, expecting that Omani frankincense trade would further flourish in the coming years. (end)
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