[Assam] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Assam

Thu Oct 12 12:27:52 PDT 2006

O"Mahanta,
Did you not see the disclaimer, "I am totally ignorant about Xansee tree."? I really don't know anything about Xansi Gos, have never seen one. Thanks for your explanation and your sharing the knowledge about the tree.

So, Agaru resin is the plant's immunity fluid against the bugs. Can we not make optimum use of the tree by doing the following -(1) Plant the optimum number of bugs at the opportune moment, (2) Then watch the tree go into convulsion as it fights the bugs and exudes its resin and (3) Finally cut the tree down for an optimum yield ? :-) 
Is it a span of a few months or a few years - for the resin to mature for harvest? It appears to me there could be a farming technology on this Agaru thingie. Why didn't the Namtiyals come up with the technology if they have been harvesting the resin for a long time? :-)
O'Deka
======================================================================

----- Original Message ----
From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To: Dilip/Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>
Cc: assam at assamnet.org
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 9:33:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Assam

O' Deka:

>I am totally ignorant about Xansee tree.

*** I do feel sorry for you. But take heart! You have a lot of company here, I am certain.

>Why do they cut the whole tree when you could retrieve the resin from the node >by scraping?

*** Your bewilderment here is caused by your own assumptions. Who said the resin
forms in the 'nodes'? Or if the 'xansi' tree has 'nodes' ?

>To collect rubber, they don't kill the whole tree. To collect Taree they don't >cut the tree down.

*** We can tell you are an observant person. I am proud of you.

>Something is missing here. Is it ignorance on the part of the growers? Could >there be a better way to collect the resin?

*** What can I say? You must have been listening to Umesh a little too much about the 'ignorance' of these yahoo  villagers.

The problem here is this: The resin forms in the bug-holes , mostly deep inside
the trunks of the trees. The insect bores thru cankers, stumps of dead branches, external injuries and the like. Older trees have many more of these. Where exactly in the trunk the treasure is located cannot be determined by visual inspection, even though an experienced collector can tell which trees may yield something and which won't.

Are there better ways to harvest the precious resin than by destruction? I am sure there are. In this day and age, a good portable CT-scanner would instantly
give out the secrets of them trees. You take two images, one perpendicular to the other, as in mammography, and can instantly locate the loot. And then you
use a lithotropsy device to drill exactly into the sweet spot, and voila--you hit pay dirt.

But something tells me, these ignorant villagers will never learn how to use technology. You know how they are--once a kharkhowa, always a kharkhowa.

*** You walked right into this one, didn't you, Ol' Buddy?

O'm :-) :-)

At 6:58 PM -0700 10/11/06, Dilip/Dil Deka wrote:
I am totally ignorant about Xansee tree. Why do they cut the whole tree when you could retrieve the resin from the node by scraping?
To collect rubber, they don't kill the whole tree. To collect Taree they don't cut the tree down.
Something is missing here. Is it ignorance on the part of the growers? Could there be a better way to collect the resin?
DKD

----- Original Message ----
From: mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
To: cmahanta at charter.net
Cc: assam at assamnet.org
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 8:30:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Assam

Every word  in your analysis is valid and wise.

Life--even for the Xansii Goss--  is not that simple!

mm

From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To: "mc mahant" <mikemahant at hotmail.com>, cmahanta at charter.net
CC: assam at asasmnet.org
Subject: Re: [Assam] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Assam
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:10:01 -0500

blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li {padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;}
>My brother missed the whole Namti Scenario with our humble XANSII Goss---He was not there.

On the contrary, I know quite a bit about it :-).

My questions were facetious, designed to see how much the advisers know about what they advise about :-).

*** The resin that grows in the bug-holes of Xaansi trees, caused by a particular kind of ant ( or insect --I am not exactly sure), from which the 'ogoru tel' ultimately is processed, is a tiny amount. It takes cutting down of MANY MANY Xaansi trees to get a few ounces of essential/aromatic oil.

*** Mono-culture of xaansi-trees, as a cash crop, therefore is essentially a losing proposition for the subsistence farmers of Assam. In fact I would venture to think it would bring them ruination, the kind Kerala, Andhra and Mharastra farmers have been experiencing in recent decades.

It takes many years of growing Xaansi trees, before they would develop the bug-holes from which the precious resin is formed.The older , more mature the tree is, the better the chances of getting  the resin. In the early years, when they started cutting down gnarled, ancient Xaansi trees in return for pea-nuts as compensation, the yield used to be very high. Younger trees grown for the purpose yields little.

So if a subsistence farmer embarks on growing Xaansi trees as a livelihood, the land covered by this tree will not be available for other crops, for years. He would be in very big trouble right away!

*** Those who have large fallow land-holdings can grow Xaansi-trees for a few rupees, like our mother did. But it is not a sound use of the land. A far more productive use could be growing flowers for essential oils, IF a market could be generated for it.

*** Mono-culture also has many other adverse impacts, not only on the ecology and environment, but also on the biodiversity of a region.

*** Yes, an enlightened and able Assam Govt. would and could have promoted the industry of growing and harvesting Xaansi trees while ensuring a better return to the farmers. But what else is new?

*** All around Namti, in the Xiboxagor district etc. where the Xaansi tree grows abundantly, it does provide a few extra rupees to a villager who has a tree or two in his lot. More than that however, it appeared to me as though the travelling Xaansi tree collectors make more money selling the firewood to the urban population. And it does pe rovide a jobs to a few who go around collecting the trees.

*** Ajmal's wealth is in his ability to ADD the huge EXTRA value to the resin, for which pays little to the producers.

At 7:55 PM +0530 10/11/06, mc mahant wrote:

My brother missed the whole Namti Scenario with our humble XANSII Goss from our Swomonee enriching a whole of our Naamti Goriyas  and Nagaon's  Miyaas . Xansii= Agar---Agaru Tel.

Nothing to do with Agar-Aagar!

He was not there.

From:  Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
To:  "Mohan R. Palleti" <mrpallet at ncsu.edu>, debasish_sarma2004 at yahoo.com
CC:  assam at assamnet.org
Subject:  Re: [Assam] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Assam
Date:  Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:38:07 -0500
>
>A few questions:
>
>*** What exactly is this "Agarwood" tree ? Never came across myself.
>
>*** How big is it? How much space does it need to grow to produce 'ogoru tel'?
>      Is this 'ogoru tel' pressed out from the fruit, or leaves, or bark or
>      the wood?
>
>*** How many years dos it take to grow this tree before it will produce 'tel'?
>
>*** Is it like a cow that could be milked for its oil? Or does it have to
>      be destroyed to extract it?
>
>*** How much cash can a farmer generate from one such tree, and in how
>      many years?
>
>*** Is the return from a tree per year, worth the land locked out of
>other kinds
>      of agricultural production?
>
>*** If a farmer embarks on this heretofore unknown "Agarwood" tree
>plantation as
>      a mono-culture, what are the chances of his survival from the returns?

>
>
>Ignorantly yours,
>
>cm
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 8:38 AM -0400 10/11/06, Mohan R. Palleti wrote:
> >This is a good discussion!
> >The Regional Research Laboratory at Jorjat should be a good place to
> >start. tThey were the ones who should how Citronella can be grown and
> >harvested for oil in Assam. It is a blooming market but only for a few
> >enterprising companies.
> >
> >Mohan R. Palleti
> >
> >
> >>The inttention of the mail was not to glorify anyone in person!
> >>
> >>  I was trying to start a discussion on importance of Agarwood and bring
> >>  awareness among native people of asom about economis benefits of Agarwood
> >>  plantation as a part of my campain of environmental awareness.
> >>
> >>  If one man can start an industry and reach an annual turnover of more than
> >>  100 million USD with raw material available in asom then why not other
> >>  people also try to see it as an opportunity.
> >>
> >>  Can we start a discussion how to plant Agarwood, how to extract oil from
> >>  it and how to reach a potential market. If we start discussion in a
> >>  positive manner then only we can get positive results.Oil extracted from
> >>  Agarwood is very expansive and pure quality of Agarwood oil can fetch a
> >>  price as high as 30,000 USD/ Litre in the international market. The
> >>  environmental condition and altitude of Asom are ideal for Agarwood
> >>  plantation and I see no reason why we can not start Agarwood plantation.
> >>
> >>  Vietnam is a country where villagers have started plantation of Agarwood
> >>  with the help of international organisations that has changed their way of
> >>  life. It has not only brought economic prosperity but also has lead to
> >>  environmental protection.
> >>
> >>  If there is anyone interested to start any project on Agarwood plantation?
> >>  At least we can start a discussion.
> >>
> >>
> >>  With regards
> >>
> >>  Dr Debasish Sarma
> >>  Re: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/assamonline/message/2662
> >>
> >>  ---------appended message, moderator assamonline---------
> >>  From: deep lee <deep_black1 at yahoo.co.in>
> >>  Cc: assamonline at yahoogroups.com
> >>  Date: Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:21 am
> >>  Subject: Re: [asom] Dubai Agar tycoon originally from Asom
> >>
> >>  DEAR MR. SARMA,
> >>
> >>  I CAN UNDERSTAND YOU WERE NOT TRYING GLORIFY AJAMAL.
> >>
> >>  MY INTENSION TO REPLY YOUR MAIL WAS TO LET OUR PEOPLE KNOW THE ACTUAL
> >>  FACTS ABOUT THE AJMALS.
> >>
> >>  BY THE WAY, YOUR IDEA IS A GOOD ONE.
> >>
> >>  DEFINITELY WE SHOULD HELP OUR NATIVE PEOPLES TO TAKE UP THIS AGAR
> >>  BUSINESS.
> >>
> >>  REGARDS.
> >>
> >>  -DEEP
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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