Plantations International

Liquid Gold Rush Endangers Agarwood Trees

Sorja Tan remembers a time when it was easy to find agarwood trees – tall, straight jungle giants – that grew in the forest reserves here. Now, there are days when he leaves the forest after a long day of gaharu collecting empty-handed. “In the past, if you go to the forest, agarwood trees were not rare. You could find them close together here and there. Now, there are only a few left,” said the 22-year-old of the Temiar tribe living nearby. agarwood trees – or aquilaria malaccensis – are being logged by the tens of thousands in Malaysian jungles, mostly [...]

Brisk Business for Agarwood in Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Bukit Bintang is known for its glitzy malls and bars, which tourists make a beeline for. However, among the bustling nightspots and shopping centres, there are at least six agarwood shops and perfumeries along that street alone, attracting the stream of Arab visitors looking for the expensive scent used to, among others, spray on the curtains that cover the Kaabah in Mecca and for incense burnt in their homes. Preparing for the coming “Arab season” in August, these thriving shops have boxes and boxes of the rare wood in stock, mostly sourced from Malaysian rainforests. Shopkeepers said they buy their [...]

Agarwood extraction workshop in Assam India

Agarwood Extraction Workshop The team from Plantations International attended a Agarwood Extraction workshop that was held by the All Sanchi Agarwood Growers Association of Assam (ASGAA) held on June 5 to 7 at Moayimti village for the youth of the area. During the three-day workshop, ASGAA team also observed World Environment Day and planted 100 Agarwood saplings in public places and roadside of the village, informed a press release received here. The first Agarwood grower from Moayimti village, Tsuknungmangyang was also felicitated with a certificate by ASGAA on the same day. Villagers participated in the observance, where Chairman Imkongtizuk and Village Headman [...]

19 Benefits and Uses for Agarwood Oud Oil

Would you believe that an essential oud oil obtained from infected wood commands a higher price than gold? It sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? But that’s the story with Agarwood oud oil, or Oud as it is known in the Middle East. Agarwood is the resinous heartwood formed in infected trees of the evergreen Aquilaria and Gyrinops tree families, native to southeast Asia. This precious wood and its oud oil have a deep spiritual history and significance, and they are mentioned in the oldest spiritual texts – the Sahih Muslim, the Charaka Samhita, the Torah, the Bhagavad Gita, the Sushruta Samhita, Islamic [...]

Demand for Agarwood skyrocketing prices

The surging demand for incense has seen the price of Plantations International Agarwood, its main ingredient, hit an all time high. Farmers near Hong Kong are being encouraged to plant more trees, but so far, only a few seem to be in it for the long haul. Across Asia, people prefer the natural scent of incense than more modern items like air fresheners or sprays. Seen burning in temples all across the continent, the unique aroma is created when a fungus infects aqularia trees, resulting in a darkening of the wood, which is called agarwood. Joey Yuen runs an incense store [...]

What is Agarwood

Agarwood or Gaharu as it is known in many Asian countries is a resinous heartwood that occurs in trees belonging to the genus Aquilaria. The Aquilaria tree is a fast-growing, subtropical forest tree, with a population range stretching from South Asia’s Himalayan foothills, throughout Southeast Asia, and into the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. It grows at elevations from a few meters above sea level to about 1000 meters, with approx. 500 meters being most ideal. Aquilaria can grow on a wide range of soils, including poor sandy soil. Seedlings require a great deal of shade and water but will grow [...]

Sustainable Smart Farming Technology

Technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) has made its way into our lives and businesses. According to the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), technology is about more than better and faster, it's also about sustainability. For farmers and ranchers, this translates into how food is grown and raised and the role technology is playing on the farm. Farmers around the world are using Sustainable Smart Farming Technology such as moisture sensors, drones, smart irrigation, terrain contour mapping, self-driving and GPS enabled tractors - to produce food more sustainably. According to the Future of Agriculture in The Economist, farms are being [...]