We use it in tea, lip balm, shampoos and a myriad of culinary recipes. It grows like a weed in North America, but is the currency of survival for many struggling farmers in India. Mint, a common plant that includes menthol, peppermint, lavender and sage has for years, a redeeming quality that has benefited rural farmers in Asia’s second-largest country: It’s simple to grow and harvest, and doesn’t take a lot of technological knowledge to benefit from its crops. It can also be sold as an oil and repurposed to a variety of commodities.
