Laos firm eyes state for agar trade

GUWAHATI: The HSMM Group, which has the largest agarwood and agar-based product company in South East Asia, is exploring avenues to develop agar trade in Meghalaya.
The Laos-based company had recently initiated discussions with the Meghalaya government for the adoption of agar policy in the state.
“We had, a couple of months back, initiated discussions with the government for adoption of agar policy in Meghalaya. In this regard, our company will soon sign an MoU with the state government for the development of agar industry in the state,” Habib Mohammed Chowdhury, the founder chairman of HSMM Group of Companies, informed The Shillong Times here on Wednesday.
Large areas across Meghalaya are under agar plantation and a policy would lend momentum for the trade to flourish.
Chowdhury, who hails from Hojai in Assam, has been closely monitoring and actively participating in developing the agarwood business across the North East over the past decade.
In 2010, he helped the Nagaland government to formulate a policy to officially allow agarwood industry to flourish in the state.
In Manipur, his company has recently signed an MoU with the state government for agar plantation while working closely for the adoption of a policy on the industry. The Manipur government has given 625 hectares land for agar plantation to his company.
In Assam, the company had inked a similar agreement with the state government following the Advantage Assam: Global Investors’ Meet in Guwahati last year.