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Aquilaria

Very Rare Agarwood Species is Making a Comeback

A critically endangered species of agarwood, which has been elusive for more than 100 years, has resurfaced. The Aquilaria rostrata was first discovered in 1911 and was thought to be native only to Wray’s Camp in Taman Negara, Pahang. Since then, nobody had spotted the elusive agarwood species. However, two Forestry Department rangers found what they suspected to be the elusive species in April last year in Besut, Terengganu, some 100km away from where it was first discovered. Their suspicion was soon confirmed by a research team in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) led by associate professor Dr Rozi Mohamed. “At first, [...]

Agarwood Producing Trees in Malaysia are in Danger

Agarwood trees – or Aquilaria Malaccensis – are being logged by the tens of thousands in Malaysian jungles, mostly by foreigners because of the valuable agarwood, known locally as gaharu. One kilogramme of agarwood can fetch between RM4,000 and RM20,000 and its woodchips – which are turned into essential oils used in perfume and incense – fuel a RM26bil global trade every year. The rareness and value of agarwood oil has led traders to call it “liquid gold” and has sparked many to either grow or log Agarwood trees for profit. Tan is worried about the agarwood going extinct. This gold [...]

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 [...]

Agarwood Plantation Ownership Program

Agarwood Investment Agarwood is reputed to be the most expensive wood in the world. There are many names for the resinous, fragrant heartwood produced primarily by trees in the genus Aquilaria. Most commonly, the resin is known as agarwood, aloeswood, eaglewood, gaharu, agalocha or oudh (In Arabic). Agarwood has been used to make high quality incense since centuries. The Chinese describe its smell as "a sweet, deep but balanced fragrance" and use it in religious and festive celebrations, and so do Arabian, Indian and Japanese people. Agarwood is also part of many traditional pharmacopoeias, dating back to medieval times and Chinese [...]