[Assam] Agarwood Plantations in Assam

Sat Oct 21 07:15:01 PDT 2006

something interesting

  **** 
  International attention was drawn to concerns regarding the status and trade of Agarwood, scientific name Aquilaria malaccensis in 1994, when the Government of India, submitted a proposal to include it in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The proposal was accepted during the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (Fort Lauderdale, 1994), the listing taking effect from 16 February 1995.

  India is home to two Aquilaria species, A. khasiana and A. malaccensis. A. khasiana is found mainly in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya (Kanjilal et al., 1982). A. malaccensis is native to rest north-eastern States.

  According to information gathered by Forest Departments and the Regional Deputy Director of Wildlife Preservation, Eastern region, wild A. malaccensis is rare in all of the North Eastern States

  Wild agarwood (known locally as agar) was heavily extracted from Arunachal Pradesh between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, virtually exhausting the natural stock. Wild A. malaccensis is considered almost extinct in Assam.

Debasish sarma <debasish_sarma2004 at yahoo.co.in> wrote:
  To: assamonline <assamonline at yahoogroups.com>
From: Debasish sarma <debasish_sarma2004 at yahoo.co.in>
Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:30:30 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Re: [asom] Agarwood Plantations in Assam

          Hi friends,

         On further study on the subject of AGARWOOD I have come accross some astonishing facts published in international publications. I am forarding abstract of one such study published in TRAFFIC website.

         TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (TSEA) is the Southeast Asian regional office of the TRAFFIC network and is responsible for the entire Southeast Asian region. 

              The results of TRAFFICs research are reported in the TRAFFIC Network report one such report is : Heart of the Matter:Agarwood Use and Trade and CITES Implementation for Aquilaria malaccensis. Some of the key findings of this report, related to Asom are summarized below. Full report can be viewed from the following links.
  http://www.traffic.org/news/agarwood.pdf

  International attention was drawn to concerns regarding the status and trade of Agarwood, scientific name Aquilaria malaccensis in 1994, when the Government of India, submitted a proposal to include it in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The proposal was accepted during the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (Fort Lauderdale, 1994), the listing taking effect from 16 February 1995.

  India is home to two Aquilaria species, A. khasiana and A. malaccensis. A. khasiana is found mainly in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya (Kanjilal et al., 1982). A. malaccensis is native to rest north-eastern States.

  According to information gathered by Forest Departments and the Regional Deputy Director of Wildlife Preservation, Eastern region, wild A. malaccensis is rare in all of the North Eastern States

  Wild agarwood (known locally as agar) was heavily extracted from Arunachal Pradesh between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, virtually exhausting the natural stock. Wild A. malaccensis is considered almost extinct in Assam.

  Indias role in the agarwood trade

  India was previously the centre of a thriving industry and trade based on agarwood. Products produced and traded included wood, chips, powder and oil, being used mainly for perfumes, incense, and medicines (including Ayurvedic). Prior to the 1991 export ban on wood and wood products, Mumbai served as the main exporting centre to Middle Eastern countries. Agarwood harvested from north-east Indian States, predominantly Assam, was taken to Hojai in Assam where it was processed into chips, dust and oil. Importers and exporters previously supplied traders in Mumbai and Calcutta, primarily with Assamese agarwood, but suppliers have largely shifted their base to south-east Asian countries, particularly Singapore, owing to the scarcity of Indian agarwood. 

  Traders interviewed reported that the decline in the trade started 15-20 years ago, coinciding with the decline in the availability of high quality Indian agarwood. Even with the decline in trade, however, there is still an agarwood chip, oil and powder processing industry in India. North-east India continues to dominate Indias agarwood processing industry, with Assam and particularly Hojai still playing a major role, and Mumbai being the main location from which agarwood is traded and exported.

  According to Heuveling van Beek and Phillips (1999), Indian importers buy many tonnes of low grade  agarwood powder for distillation purposes. Many large processing units are located in Assam, Chakrabarty et al.(1994) reporting that a total of approximately 200 agarwood oil distilleries operated in the towns of Hojai, Islamanagar and Nilbagan in Naogaon district in 1993. The number of distilleries in current operation is unknown, but interviews conducted suggested that there are currently far more processing units in Assam than in 1993. Unconfirmed local enquiries suggest that there may be more than 1500 processing units in Hojai alone, although, according to available information, the Industry Department has issued licences to only 29 (unlicensed processing units are presumably operating illegally). 

  Domestic harvest and trade controls

  The Indian Forest Act, 1927 regulates domestic harvests and both the intra- and inter-State transport of agarwood. Controls are implemented through a permit system that is managed by the Department of Forestry. Divisional Forest Offices maintain records of licences and permits issued to harvest agarwood from plantations; only a few individuals have obtained such permits. These individuals obtain separate permits to harvest and transport agarwood as and when the opportunity arises rather than setting up registered companies (S.K. Das, pers. comm. to TRAFFIC India, 1999)

  In Assam, Lieu Transit Passes (LTPs) are issued by the Assam Forest Department to those who have legally transported agarwood from neighbouring States (primarily Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland). LTPs are issued upon the presentation of a valid TP issued in another State. LTPs allow the transportation of agarwood to any destination within Assam. There are reports, however, of traders illegally harvesting agarwood from, and managing to obtain a TP in, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. The TP obtained under false pretences is then used to obtain a LTP in Assam.

  Processing units in Assam are required to be licensed by the Industry Department. The Industry Department does not liaise with the Forest Department regarding the availability and source of raw agarwood and it is not mandatory for processing units to declare their source of raw of supply.

  The export of agarwood has been prohibited since 1991, when the export of all wood products (including log, timber, chip, powder, flake, dust etc.) of all species was banned through the EXIM policy in force at that time. The current EXIM policy (1993-2002) published by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Government of India, permits the import of A. malaccensis (including chips, dust and oil), but maintains the 1991 blanket export ban on Indian-harvested wood products. However, it also specifically regulates the export of A. malaccensis via the Negative List of Export of Plants. The Negative List of Export of Plants (as set forth in Notification No. 24 (RE-98)/1997-2002 dated 14 October 1998) being an amendment to the ITO (HS) Classification of Export and Import Items 1997-2002, specifically prohibits the export of 29 native flora species, including A. malaccensis. This includes the plants, plant portions,
  derivatives and extracts obtained from the wild. The export ban on all wild Indian flora species was re-communicated to Parties by way of CITES Notification No. 1999/39.

  There are exceptions to the export ban, however, which allow the export of native species included in the Negative List. These include formulations, which are defined as products containing plant portions or extracts in unrecognisable and physically inseparable forms. Native wild Aquilaria malaccensis can therefore be freely exported in forms such as oil or medicine. Also, the export of Indian cultivated varieties (i.e. agarwood derived from plantations) is permitted when accompanied by a Certificate of  Cultivation. This is obtained from the Regional Deputy Director of Wildlife (CITES Management Authority), or the Chief Conservator of Forests or Divisional Forest Officers, in the State where the material was procured. A CITES export permit is also required, but none appear to have been issued.

  Imported agarwood may be re-exported as value-added herbal formulations, if these are manufactured only from imported material. At the time of export, exporters are required to present an affidavit to Customs authorities stating that only imported plant material was used to produce the formulation being reexported.

  Illegal harvests and trade

  Several reports of seizures were received from traders. For example, one importer interviewed reported the seizure of agarwood chips worth INR300 000 (USD9561), imported from Bangkok into Mumbai in 1994. Traders alleged that wood was smuggled across the north-eastern border, particularly from Myanmar, which they claimed necessitates bribing enforcement agencies at the border. Manipur was indicated as the preferred entry point and traders particularly named Churachandpur District as the place to obtain a Transit Permit illegally for wood smuggled from Myanmar. It was said that this cost INR200/kg (USD5/kg). Smuggled wood from other south-east Asian countries such as Indonesia, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam is said to be flown into Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. According to traders interviewed, the majority of agarwood smuggled into India is destined for processing in Hojai.

  Some traders admitted illegally exporting agarwood, stating that this was a relatively risk-free process, since Customs formalities were easily negotiated. Two traders gave separate accounts of bribing Customs officials in order to evade legal action. The use of couriers to export agarwood illegally was said to be widespread, with some retailers saying that they used couriers to export up to 20 kg of chips. Some traders thought that the export ban had discouraged Middle Eastern consumers from purchasing large quantities of agarwood from India, who instead would only purchase up to five kilogrammes, an amount easily concealed within personal baggage. Small vials of oil (six to seven centimetres in length) are also easily hidden.

  Cultivation

  Both government-owned and private agarwood plantations have been established. The Silviculture Division of Arunachal Pradesh has converted large areas of degraded forests into commercial agarwood plantations. These are the source of most of Arunachal Pradeshs illegal stock, despite their being too immature to yield commercially valuable agarwood. The upper Assam climate provides particularly suitable growing conditions and large-scale plantations exist in this State. 

  One large agarwood trading company has distributed A. malaccensis seedlings worth approximately INR100 000 (USD2353) to villagers in Hojai and surrounding villages during the past few years, enabling them to plant their own A. malaccensis trees on their property and on other small tracts of land. 

  Wholesale prices for Aquilaria malaccensis fixed by Assam Forest Department
  Year                Grade                                                 Price (Rs/kg) Price
  1993 
              1st class Black Agar                                        30 000 
              2nd class Bantang                                            20 000 
              3rd class Phutas, Kalaguchi                                7500 
              4th class Dhum                                                 100-250 
  1994 
              1st class Black Agar                                         65000 
              2nd class Bantang                                             15 000 
              3rd class Phutas, Kalaguchi                               7 000 
              4th class Dhum                                                  350 
  1998 
              1st class Black Agar                                          50 000 
              2nd class Bantang                                              30 000 
              3rd class Phutas, Kalaguchi                               10 000 
              4th class Dhum                                                      450 
  Source: Gupta, 1999*

  Reference:

  Chakrabarty, K., Kumar, A. and Menon, V. (1994). Trade in Agarwood. TRAFFIC India and WWF-India,
  New Delhi. 51pp.

  Gupta, A. K. (1999). Assessing the Implementation of the CITES Appendix-II Listing of Aquilaria malaccensis.
  Unpublished report prepared for TRAFFIC India.

  Heuveling van Beek, H. and Phillips, D. (1999). Agarwood: Trade and CITES Implementation in
  Southeast Asia. Unpublished report prepared for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Malaysia.

  Kanjilal, U.N., Kanjilal, P.C., Dey, R.M. and Das, A. (reprinted 1982). Flora of Assam, IV. Government
  of Assam, Assam, India.

tajbakshi <tajbakshi at yahoo.com> wrote:       Pls. viisit this site to know about activities on Agarwood.......
http://whitelotus.smugmug.com

Tajul Bakshi

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