Agar is next tea and oil for Assam if developed systematically: Assam CS Ravi Kota

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 25, 2024

“After tea and oil, Assam should be globally known for its precious wealth – agarwood,” Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota said here on Saturday.

“The climate and the landscape of Assam are best suited for agar tree plantation. There is a high demand for agarwood of Assam in the global markets particularly, the Middle East because of its best quality aroma,” Kota said inaugurating the state’s first licensed manufacturing cum retail store for perfume and agar – MJI Perfumes, the first make-in-Assam perfume from agar, at Hatigaon here. 

“Besides, a huge domestic market of favours and perfumes is also knocking on the door,” Kota said.

“Global agarwood chip market is alone going to grow to USD16.5 billion (Rs 1.35 lakh crores) by 2034. However, there are international market restrictions on agar, and the same should improve as we move forward. But, the low-hanging is the huge domestic market and agarwood has a great potential of creating a new ‘Green Revolution’ too in Assam after tea,” Kota also said.

Elaborating on the challenges of the agar industry, Kota said: “Most of the units processing agar oil are small scale operators, unorganised and mostly concentrated in few districts of Assam. In view of the same, the Industries and Commerce Department has brought out the Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy – 2020 to support agar cultivation and its flourishing industries,” he said.

The chief secretary said the soon-to-be-inaugurated Agar International Trade Centre at Golaghat will be dedicated to the promotion and commercialization of agarwood and its value-added products. It will open new vistas for agar producers of Assam and encourage entrepreneurship, expansion and growth. 

He called upon the youth, particularly potential start-ups, for a collective effort in achieving economic milestones in agarwood and expressed hope that over a period, a time would come when tourists visiting Assam would take back home Assamese indigenous agar oil/perfume along with the traditional gamocha, japi, xorai or rhino models. 

Senior officials of the industry department including Dr  Lakshmanan S, secretary, industries and commerce department, Sazzad Alam, joint secretary, Oinam Saran Kumar Singh, commissioner industries & commerce, Manvendra Pratap Singh, MD AIDC, Chinmoy Phukan, MD AIIDC, Dr Radhakrishnanand P, registrar in-charge of NIPER, Biswajith Talukdar, Drug Controller & Food Safety Officer (i/c), veteran film actor Pranjal Saikia, senior journalist Pranay Bordoloi, former general manager, Indian Overseas Bank Dr Samir Baruah, other senior officials and dignitaries were also present on the occasion.