Spearmint is typically a perennial plant, but in India it is grown as an annual plant and produces a unique chemical oil profile as a result. It flourishes in temperate climates and can grow from 11 to 40 inches tall. Farmers can grow spearmint in addition to traditional crops like wheat, potatoes, and corn. They also rotate spearmint through their fields after each harvest so that they can have three different harvests throughout the year instead of just one.

Each farmer takes their spearmint to a community distillation unit, which is usually within approximately 1 km of their house. The whole aerial plant (not just the roots) is steam distilled for the essential oil, which takes about 8 hours.