Is rosemary essential oil distillation worth setting up for a small grower?

Rosemary essential oil is steam distilled from the leafy herb, but the recovery is low, typically in the rough range of around 0.5 to 1.5 percent of fresh herb depending on variety, season and how the herb is handled. That means you need a large standing area and steady tonnage of herb to produce a worthwhile quantity of oil, plus a steam distillation unit which is a real capital cost. For a small grower, putting up your own rosemary still rarely pays back unless you have your own large planting, a confirmed oil buyer, and the right cineole rich variety the buyer wants. The oil market is specialised (aroma, cosmetics, herbal) and price swings with quality and chemotype, so do not plan around a fixed rate. A more practical path for most small growers is to sell fresh sprigs and dried rosemary, which need no distillation and reach the food market directly, and only move into oil if you reach scale or can pool herb with other farmers for a shared distillation unit. Before any investment, get the oil buyer, the required variety, expected recovery, and price in writing.