Agarwood is a cultural, ecological and economic asset for India
Agarwood, known as Oud, Gaharu or Agar is prized as the world’s most valuable incense. For thousands of years, it has been used in various religious traditions including those of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism.
In addition to its use in perfume-making, agarwood occupies a significant place in traditional medicine. There are references to its therapeutic properties in ancient Ayurvedic texts, including the Charaka Samhita. It is also mentioned in the 5th century CE poetry of Kalidasa. It is a key component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Unani as well.
In West Asia, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and surrounding Gulf countries, agarwood products such as oils, wood chips, attars, and bakhoors are highly prized, traded in a market worth millions of dollars. Global luxury perfume brands, including Gucci and Tom Ford, incorporate Oud into their high-end fragrances.
Of resins and fragrance
The incense is derived from resinous material produced by trees belonging to the Aquilaria and Gyrinops genuses from the Thymelaeaceae family. The resin is produced as a defence mechanism due to the intense stress suffered by the trees when they are infected by a type of mold belonging to the Phaeoacremonium species (Phialophora parasitica) and also through factors such as grazing or injury to the trees. A small percentage, estimated at two to seven per cent of the trees, yield agarwood for perfume-making.
There are several species of Aquilara that produce resinous material used as incense or perfumes. Some of the countries where agarwood is grown include India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos and Bhutan.
In India, the prevalent species are Aquilara malaccensis and Aquilaria khasiana. These grow in the wild in the Northeast, especially in Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. The name of Tripura’s capital, ‘Agartala’ is derived from agarwood trees that were abundant in the past. There is a wealth of traditional knowledge among tribals on agarwood trees in the wild, including the identification of resinous material using indigenous methods.
On the brink
The soaring market demand has led to widespread overharvesting, pushing wild populations of agarwood to the brink of extinction. In India, wild agarwood trees were almost eradicated during the 20th century.
In the wild, it takes nearly a decade for a tree to mature. Traditionally, harvesters determine resin presence by cutting trees and inspecting the heartwood. This unsustainable practice not only reduces tree populations but also harms local ecosystems. Agarwood figured in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), after international concern built up over the dwindling population of trees worldwide.
A documentary by the Al Jazeera network titled Scent from Heaven, throws a light on the agarwood trade worldwide. The unethical and unsustainable exploitation of the resin has led to the trees’ significant decline all over the world.
The quality of agarwood depends on the geographical location, length of fungal infection, harvesting methods, etc. Since a very miniscule percentage produce resin naturally, artificial techniques like drilling, injecting fungi like Fusarium sp and Cladophialophora sp and chemicals like ethephon, methyl jasmonate, salts and formic acid are being used. The methods have mixed success.
Need for regulation
The cultivation of agarwood is now encouraged in Northeastern and South Indian states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana) in a big way to boost the production.
The popularity of agarwood among Indian farmers, especially in Andhra Pradesh’s uplands, has led to the rise of real estate ventures promising high returns in land-growing trees. Some private companies offer saplings, artificial inoculation, and buy-back agreements that promise unreasonably high returns after a few years. These promises often lack scientific basis. Another set of companies offer inoculation services which are priced heavily, and many companies refuse to disclose their methods, citing proprietary technology.
Farmers are often required to sign binding contracts to sell their produce exclusively to companies at predetermined prices. In some cases, the prices are highly inflated and unrealistic. Without adequate government regulation, these practices exploit the livelihoods of farmers and threaten sustainability in the long run. Moreover, the inoculation practices are questionable and a potential risk to trees and ecosystems in the long run.
It is crucial that the government regulate such companies to ensure ethical practices, scientific rigour, and fair treatment of cultivators. Clear guidelines must be established regarding inoculation techniques, contract enforcement, and pricing.
Recently, the Government of India submitted a Non-Discretionary Finding (NDF) to prevent inclusion of agarwood in the Review of Significant Trade (RST) of the CITES. This would enable India to announce a new export quota for agarwood products and derivatives and regulate the trade. The government has taken measures to prevent the collection of seeds/seedlings/saplings and propagules from wild populations, reserved forests and protected areas. Harvesting would be allowed only from home or community gardens or private and community plantations.
Several universities internationally are researching sustainable agarwood management. One such example is the University of Minnesota’s research project on agarwood in South Asia to develop sustainable measures for inoculation. One such measure is controlled wounding of young agarwood trees to stimulate the resin-activating defence responses. Through such novel methods, the once flourishing population of agarwood trees can at last be restored while meeting demand.
What India must do
India must launch a research initiative similar to the one by the University of Minnesota, focusing on improving sustainable harvesting, effective inoculation and genetics. We could also help other South Asian countries.
Advanced technologies can play a vital role in conservation and enforcement. Xylotron, an AI-based, open-source wood identification tool developed by the US Forest Service, offers a promising solution for identification of various wood species, with high accuracy and preventing illegal trade in agarwood. Additionally, DNA fingerprinting, and stable isotope analysis can effectively identify the geographical origin of the wood.
India’s scientific institutions, including universities and Indian Institutes of Technology, should be encouraged to develop indigenous versions of these tools to support enforcement, traceability, and sustainability in the agarwood trade.
Beyond its fragrance, agarwood is a treasure trove of phytochemicals over 150 of which have been identified. Scientific literature reveals several compounds including sesquiterpenoids, chromones, 2-(2-Phenylethyl) chromones (PECs), etc, which are known to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. Research should be conducted to explore medicinal applications and validate traditional claims under the BioE3 and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation initiatives.
We need an agarwood board on the lines of the coffee and turmeric boards. This board should be entrusted to regulate trade and mitigate potential risk of malpractices. It should set standards for sustainable harvesting and inoculation, oversight of nurseries, availability of saplings, protecting farmers from unethical actions of companies, facilitating scientific research and technology transfer, protecting traditional knowledge and promoting community participation.
Agarwood is our cultural, ecological and economic asset. We must protect our biodiversity through sustainable cultivation, scientific innovation, regulation, and the empowerment of local communities.
K Nagaiah is Chief Scientist, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. Phaniraj G is an IT professional based in Boston, US
Views expressed are the authors’ own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth