By H. C. Chaudhary, IFS
Agarwood is a resin-infused fragrant wood derived from tropical evergreen trees of genera Aquilaria, Gyrinops, Aetoxylon, and Gonystylis belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. It is also known as aguru, aloeswood, eaglewood, gaharu, oud, chén xiāng, and jinkoh. Aquilaria species have been the primary source for agarwood. Except for the Shillong plateau, agar trees grow naturally across Meghalaya. Apart from the Aquilaria malaccensis, which is the primary source of agarwood in India, Aquilaria khasiana, a rare species of agar, is also found in Meghalaya.
The resin-embedded agarwood is valued for its distinctive fragrance and healing properties. Agarwood has been used for over 2,000 years for medicinal, aromatic and religious purposes. The resin is widely used for production of incense, perfume, cosmetics and medicines. The resin develops and accumulates in stems and branches of agar tree as an immune response to biological, physical and chemical stress. Natural formation of resin, as an immune response to fungal infection or borer attack occurs in 10-15 present trees in wild populations. Resin formation can also be triggered by artificial injury, microbial infection, and chemical treatment. Most common among these is artificial inoculation of some fungal inoculants. Development of cost-effective techniques to ensure assured formation of resin is still in progress.
Agarwood can retain its fragrance over very long period when handled appropriately. Longevity of agarwood fragrance permits its storage and long-distance trade as a high-value commodity, much in the same way as precious stones and metals. Fine grade agarwood is one of the most expensive natural raw materials in the world. Price of good quality agarwood chip varies from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 1.00 lakh per kg. Price of agar oil varies from Rs. 6 lakh to Rs. 2 crore per kg. In 2001 a single large size agar tree extensively infused with resin in Hojai district in Assam was sold at more than Rs. 1 crore. Several trees having value between Rs. 15 to 30 lakh still exist in Northeast India. A 10 to 15 year old agar tree may fetch about Rs. 10,000. One hectare good quality agar planation containing 10,000 trees has the potential to earn as high as Rs.10 crore in 10 to 15 years. No other crop can provide such high returns. With increasing wealth in gulf countries, which are the major consumers of agar chips, demand for agar has substantially increased in recent decades. Current size of the global agar trade is about US$ 30 Bn. Demand of agar products exceeds supply. This has resulted in increased price, unsustainable harvesting, over-exploitation, natural resource decline, reduction in product quality and increased interest in cultivation. Due to limited resource base and high demand, Aquilaria malaccensis, the primary source of agarwood in India, has been listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) as a ‘potentially threatened species’ to ensure that the legal trade does not become a direct cause of its extinction. Export of agarwood requires an Export Permit from designated CITES Authorities in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Such permit can be issued only on the basis of a Legal Procurement Certificate issued by an officer not below the rank of an Assistant Conservator of Forests in the State Forest Department.
Other than the high altitude Shillong plateau and low lying waterlogged areas near the Brahmaputra, agar trees naturally grow in all parts of Meghalaya. Agar tree however, prefers areas having less than 1,000 m elevation above mean sea level. A major part of the State, especially low elevation moderately undulating hills and flat plains having deep fertile soil, free from water logging, are suitable for cultivation of agar trees. Agar trees having relatively small canopy can be raised in any vacant space, including vacant places in homesteads, schools, hospitals and other public offices. Apart from providing aesthetic beauty, shade and protection from strong wind, agar trees can yield substantial income to growers. Other than block plantations, agar trees can also be planted along bunds and boundaries of homesteads, agriculture fields, forests, wasteland and other land parcels at close spacing as low as one feet.
No adverse allelopathy effect of agar trees on agricultural and horticultural crops and forestry species commonly grown in Meghalaya has been reported. Stem of a two to three year old agar tree is strong enough to hold and support barbed wire or wire mesh fencing. Closely spaced agar trees planted along bunds and boundary of agriculture fields, forests, wasteland and other land parcels can therefore double as live fencing posts. Injury caused by nails, wire and staples used to tie the barbed wire or wire mesh to agar trees induces resin production. Agar trees being non-palatable are not susceptible to browsing and grazing by livestock. They can withstand variety of edaphic, climatic and topographic conditions. Agar trees are therefore suitable to afforest blank non-forested hill slopes, river banks and non-forest wasteland too. Low gestation period along with no adverse allelopathy effect makes the agar one of the preferred agro-forestry species. Processing of agarwood, especially extraction of resin imbedded wood as agarwood chips is very labour intensive. Raising of agar plants in nurseries and creation and maintenance of agar plantations also generate large wage-employment for tribal residents in rural areas of the State. Plantation, maintenance, harvesting, value addition, marketing and trade of agarwood and agarwood products therefore has huge potential to generate income and employment for residents of the State. Agar sector can therefore play an important role in realising the aspiration to make the State US$ 10 Bn economy by 2028.
Harnessing of the economic potential of the agar requires a three-pronged strategy involving mapping and inventory of agar resource, augmentation and expansion of agar resource and agar enterprise development. For mapping of the agar resource, a mobile application along with a linked back-end database is being developed. The application will have facility to capture, record, store and retrieve details, including geo-coordinates and photographs of agar and details of their respective owners, in a credible, transparent, cost effective and systematic manner.
Initial phase of the augmentation and expansion of agar may focus on planting of agar trees in homesteads, schools, hospitals, roadside and other public and private offices and institutions for greater awareness about agar and its economic potential. Once adequate awareness is generated, planting of agar trees along bunds and boundary of agriculture fields, forests, wasteland and other land parcels to demarcate and fence their boundary and creation of block plantations to afforest blank non-forested hill slopes, river banks and non-forest wasteland may be considered. For ecological and food security, care needs to be taken to prevent felling and diversion of natural forests and use of fertile agriculture land for agar plantations. Establishment of agar enterprises may be synchronised with the progressive availability of agar resources on maturity of agar plantations and market demand. Promotion of agar enterprise will involve financial, institutional and technical support to willing entrepreneurs and overhauling of the existing regulatory framework governing establishment and operation of agar based industrial units and harvest and transportation of agar trees and agarwood products, while ensuring that the same is in conformity with the relevant provisions of the CITES and other laws.
The states of Tripura and Assam have already recognised the importance of the agar sector and have initiated several measures to encash its huge economic potential. Meghalaya can ignore the agar sector only at its own peril.
(Author is currently holding the post of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Working Plan, Research and Training and District Council Affairs, Meghalaya. Views expressed are personal)