3 March 2024 (Voz do Campo) – Voz do Campo published the article “Natural Resin: a key raw material for the Sustainable Bioeconomy”, which revisits the history of resin tapping in Portugal and the potential of this raw material for the bioeconomy.
While resin was initially obtained by burning wood, today it is collected from living trees using minimally invasive methods that preserve the tree’s vitality. Memories of tapped pine forests with traditional clay pots or, more recently, plastic pots or bags are still vivid. Natural Resin and resin tapping are part of the collective memory of the Portuguese people.
A resource used since Antiquity
Resin is a natural product made by conifers as a defence and protection against infection. It is a viscous, transparent liquid with a strong pine scent and strong adhesive properties. Its use by humans dates back to Antiquity, with traces of its use in mummification in Ancient Egypt. In Portugal, records of the use of Natural Resin date back to the 15th century, when it was used to caulk the ships of the Portuguese maritime explorations. The use of Natural Resin and its derivatives has changed profoundly over time, reflecting improvements in extraction and technological and industrial development.
From peak production to abandonment
The modernisation of resin harvesting, together with vast pine forests and incentives for resin tapping, led to an exponential increase in Natural Resin extraction in Portugal in the middle of the last century. In the 1974/75 campaign, Portugal was the world’s second-largest resin producer, reaching a record 140,000 tonnes per year. However, the arrival of new producing countries with more competitive prices drove down the price of this raw material. Lower prices, combined with wildfires and the resulting loss of pine forest, led to the gradual abandonment of the activity. Today, Portugal produces around 5,000 tonnes of Natural Resin per year.
The rise in Natural Resin production in the 1970s and 1980s led Portuguese industry to add value to this raw material, and the first second-processing industries emerged at that time. Despite the fall in production, the Portuguese Natural Resin second-processing industry has remained competitive and stands out worldwide.
A strategic value chain for the bioeconomy
The tradition of this forestry activity, together with innovation in the Natural Resin processing industry and the potential of this natural and sustainable raw material, led to the Natural Resin value chain being identified in Component 12 – Sustainable Bioeconomy of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, alongside the Textile and Clothing and Footwear industries, as a key sector for promoting the climate transition.
Originally published in Voz do Campo.