In the beginning of the 20th century the export of dittany increased. From Chania alone exports reached 7-8 metric tons of dried dittany a year. As the plant was therefore in danger of eradication they began to cultivate it after 1920. First at Kato Poros, east of Argyroupoli. A few years later the cultivation spread to the Archanes area, south of Iraklion, and to the villages around Embaros, south west of the Lassithi mountains. Here they attained a large production (44 metric tons in 1936), but the Second World War put a temporary stop to the project. After the war they took up the cultivation of dittany again, mainly in the villages around Embaros, where there is now an annual production of approximately 30 metric tons. The villages are still called Villages of Dittany (Erondochoria).