Agar is next tea and oil for Assam if developed systematically: Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota
Ravi Kota said that after tea and oil, Assam should be globally known for its precious wealth – agarwood.
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Kota said that the climate and the landscape of Assam are best suited for agar tree plantation. There is a high demand of agarwood of Assam in the global markets particularly, Middle East because of its best quality aroma. Besides, huge domestic market of favours and perfumes is also knocking the door’.
Kota delivered his address during the inauguration of the state’s first licensed manufacturing cum retail store for perfume and agar – MJI Perfumes, first make-in-Assam perfume from agar, at Hatigaon, Guwahati.
It may be mentioned that global agarwood chip market is alone going to grow to USD 16.5 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 agar wood has a great potential of creating a new ‘Green Revolution’ too in Assam after tea.
Elaborating on the challenges of agar industry, Kota further said that ‘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, Industries and Commerce Department has brought out the Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy – 2020 to support the agar cultivation and its flourishing industries.’
The soon-to-be inaugurated Agar International Trade Centre at Golaghat will be dedicated
