Assam initiates plan to streamline agarwood industry
The Assam Government is working to streamline the agarwood industry by simplifying cultivation regulations and export processes. Proposed measures include creating a registration mechanism for non-forest plantations and establishing district-level testing facilities to improve quality assessment.
Why it matters
These reforms aim to bring the agarwood sector into the formal economy, potentially boosting local livelihoods and international trade for the region.
The Assam Government has decided to streamline and expand its agarwood industry, proposing several measures to simplify regulations, strengthen cultivation and processing, and facilitate exports.
These measures were discussed at the first meeting of the Assam Agarwood Task Force and agarwood stakeholders in Guwahati on August 26.
Agarwood is dark, fragrant, resinous heartwood that comes from trees in the genus Aquilaria. These trees have pale, light, and odourless wood, but produce resin when infected by Phaeoacremonium parasitica . This resin yields high-value perfumes.
The meeting brought together agarwood growers, processors, entrepreneurs, traders, exporters, scientists, and researchers.
According to Bimal Bora, Assam’s Industries and Commerce Minister, a key proposal was to establish a systematic mechanism to register agarwood plantations cultivated outside forest areas, accompanied by an awareness campaign to ensure growers understand the regulatory requirements.
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