Agarwood
Scientific Name: Aquilaria malaccensis
Common Names: Agarwood, Oud, Aloeswood
Native Range: Northeast India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Southeast Asia (e.g., Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand).
Habitat: Thrives in tropical rainforests with high humidity and well-drained soils.
Economic and Cultural Significance
- Aromatic Resin: Agarwood forms a dark, fragrant resin in response to fungal infection or physical injury. This resin-impregnated heartwood is highly prized.
- Key Products:
- Agarwood Oil: Used in luxury perfumes (e.g., Middle Eastern oud), incense, and traditional medicine.
- Chips/Powder: Burned as incense in religious rituals (e.g., Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic traditions).
- Market Value:
- High-quality agarwood oil can cost 30,000–100,000 per liter.
- Global demand is driven by the Middle East, East Asia, and Europe.
Recent CITES Decision: Easing Exports from India
- CITES Update:
- Agarwood from Aquilaria malaccensis is listed under CITES Appendix II, which regulates international trade to prevent overexploitation.
- In 2023, CITES relaxed export restrictions for cultivated agarwood in India, allowing regulated trade with proper permits.
- Impact on Farmers:
- Benefits ~300,000 farmers in Northeast India (Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya) engaged in agarwood cultivation.
- Legal exports boost income and incentivize sustainable farming, reducing reliance on wild harvesting.
Conservation Status and Legal Protections
- IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered due to:
- Overharvesting for illegal trade.
- Habitat loss from deforestation.
- CITES Appendix II:
- Requires export permits to ensure trade is legal and sustainable.
- Recent easing applies only to cultivated stock, not wild populations.
- India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:
- Listed in Schedule IV, offering protection but allowing regulated use.
- Cultivation and trade require state forest department approvals.
Challenges and Solutions
- Illegal Trade: Wild agarwood smuggling persists due to high prices.
Sustainable Practices:
- Cultivation Initiatives: Indian govt. promotes agarwood plantations (e.g., Assam’s “Agarwood Policy 2020”).
- Artificial Resin Induction: Techniques like fungal inoculation or mechanical wounding speed up resin production (normally takes decades in the wild).
- Certification: Mandatory CITES permits and DNA testing to distinguish cultivated vs. wild agarwood.
Global and Local Implications
- Economic Boost: India’s agarwood industry could grow to **10billionby2030∗∗(currently 3 billion).
- Cultural Preservation: Supports traditional practices linked to agarwood in Northeast India.
- Ecological Balance: Reduces pressure on wild trees, aiding biodiversity conservation.
Way Forward
- Strengthen Monitoring: Use blockchain or QR codes to track legal agarwood trade.
- Farmer Training: Educate growers on sustainable harvesting and resin induction.
- Global Collaboration: Partner with Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian nations to curb illegal trade.
