Number of sources and reliability of sources available are important considerations when selecting an extract or a supplier. For instance, lauric acid is used widely in soaps and detergents. It used to be obtained mainly from Philippine coconut oil. However, the price
of coconut oil was highly unstable due to drought, aging plantations, typhoons, pests, and diseases in the Philippines. One good typhoon could wipe out an entire years crop. African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is also an excellent source of lauric oils. It is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia and other parts of the tropics and is now an important commercial source for lauric acid.
Fu Ling or poria (Poria cocos) is a fungus widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. When the SARS outbreak occurred, the demand for poria in Asia was so great that it was virtually impossible for western herb companies to obtain (6). Any plant crop that comes from one specific location could potentially be unavailable or the year’s crop wiped out due to weather, natural catastrophe, war, or even epidemic. The number and reliability of sources available should be a consideration when selecting a new botanical.