Agar, also known as aloes wood or eagle wood is primarily the name of a tree. The word “agar” derives its meaning from Sanskrit, which signifies superior or fragrant wood. In English, it is commonly referred to as aloes wood or eagle wood. while in Arabic, it is called “oud” or “gaharu” in Malay language. In traditional herbal medicine, it is referred to as “udhind”, and in Ayurvedic language, it is known as “aguru”. The name “agar” has originated from a mixture of Bengali Arabic and Persian languages.
It is difficult to determine exactly when and where cultivation of agar or aloes wood started on Earth. However, rainforests in Southeast Asia have long been recognized as the native habitat of agar trees. The history of agar cultivation can be traced back to these regions. Agar wood trees produce a special dark-coloured wood known as agar wood, which is highly valuable.
In the local language, Agar wood is commonly referred to as “Mal.” Locally, those who identify Agar wood trees are known as “Daudal.” In Bangladesh, the main species of Agar wood cultivated are Aquilaria agallocha Ges Aquilaria malaccensis and Aquilaria malaccensis. Taxonomically, Agar wood trees belong to the Thymelaeaceae family.
Agar wood trees can grow up to approximately 15 to 40 meters tall, with a diameter or girth of 0.6-2.5 meters. The branches are straight and branchless, resembling a straight tall pole or a stick-like tree. The flowers and fruits of this tree are white and capsule-shaped. The leaves of the Agar wood tree are somewhat similar to those of the litchi tree, and some may even resemble the leaves of the Bakul tree. Agar wood timber is very soft and white in colour. As a result, Agar wood trees are only used for the production of Attar collection of raw materials, and burning incense rather than for any other purposes.
The use of agarwood
Agar wood is referred to as the wood of God. In East Asia and Japan, agar wood is used as an offering in worship rituals. The business and trade of agar wood have been thriving for thousands of years in the Middle East. The fragrance of agar wood is known for its calming properties, and many people use it to boost their energy levels. Various medicines perfumes oils, soaps, shampoos etc. are made using agar wood oil.
Generally, agar wood and agar wood powder are used at home and in various religious and social events to spread fragrance. Alongside agar wood, the powder or incense of agar wood is also used as a means of spreading fragrance through burning. Regardless of their ethnicity, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Muslims use agar wood and agar wood powder. In Bangladesh, agar wood is also known as liquid gold.
Cultivation techniques for agarwood trees
Agar wood trees can be cultivated in various locations such as, home gardens, along roadsides, on abandoned land, on sloping or hilly areas, and even in barren land. Agar wood trees grow best in hilly or sloping terrain. However, they can be grown on any type of land with varying degrees of success.
Artificial Method: One type of artificial method is to create holes in the agar tree using a certain type of boring insect. Afterwards, to protect the tree from fungal attacks, a biological process is used to create a brown-black pigment around the damaged area of the tree which is the main ingredient in agar production. Implementing this concept, humans artificially cause controlled damage to the agar tree, resulting in the accumulation of agar in those specific areas.
This method allows for the collection of agar gelatin in a short timeframe. In this process, a 10-12 inch circumference is marked around the agar tree and a row of carefully spaced holes around 4–5 inches apart is made starting from the base of the tree and going up.
When grafting a tree, a technique is used where half of the scion is inserted into the bark of the rootstock in an angled manner. By carefully attaching the scion to the growing tree, the outer portion of the scion gradually merges with the tree’s growth, causing the inner part to embed itself within the tree.
As a result, the thorn-covered area of the scion becomes covered with the tree’s bark over a period of 5–6 years. Later, these trees are cut to harvest agar wood which is used in the production of perfumes. Typically, the quality and size of the tree determine the density and shape of the thorns. In this case, the age of the tree is not the main factor.
Preparing the agarwood incense sticks
After cutting mature agar wood trees from the agar garden, first they are chopped into small pieces. These pieces are then separated into two parts. One part consists of dense black light black reddish and slightly reddish-coloured wood fragments, while the other part contains greyish and almost white-coloured wood fragments.
The light black, reddish and slightly reddish-coloured agar wood logs are cut into long strips vertically. These long strips are called slivers. The slivers are carefully shaved to remove impurities. The shavings are known as flakes. The flakes are processed to remove any remaining impurities. The final agar wood flakes are meticulously crafted to ensure that the black portion or the agar portions stay intact. The meticulously crafted flakes are called dhum or incense sticks in the local language. The task of producing dhum is mainly done by women in the factories.
After the burning process, the charred pieces of wood are cut into small fragments. These fragments are then used in various industries alongside the use of machines. The cut wood pieces (charcoal) are soaked in water for about 10 to 15 days in a container or a water tank drum or a large pot (locally known as “deg”). After soaking, the soaked wood pieces are taken out and mechanical agitation is used to crush them.
The crushed parts of the wood, known as “chhurun” in the local language are again soaked for at least 8 to 10 days. It is worth mentioning that many people soak them twice in the water tank. Once the chhurun is properly decomposed, it is taken out of the water and put into a specially designed vessel made of steel called a water-filled still.
Later, heat is applied from below the still. The sides of the vessel are tightly sealed, similar to an airtight container. In this way, heat is continuously applied for 10 to 12 days. A pipe is attached to the top of the vessel and the other end of the pipe is connected to another vessel. From there a special process is carried out, and the heat is applied from below. This process is continuously repeated for 10 to 12 days.
The nozzle is connected to another container using a pipe, and the container is filled with water. As the steam passes through the nozzle, it easily converts into water droplets which accumulate in the other container placed at the opposite end of the pipe. The heat from the fire causes the pipe to heat up and the steam becomes denser as it continuously condenses inside the container at the other end.
The condensed steam turns into water and collects in a specific container, leaving behind the oil residue on top. This oil residue is the essence of the steam distillation process. The chips of agar wood weighing between 74.65 kg and 112.00 kg (2 to 3 men) are loaded into a single still pot. One still pot can yield approximately 8-9 tolā attar which is about 12 grams.
According to available information, the leftover attar is sold in agarbatti factories. Apart from that, the remaining parts are also imported from the Middle East.
Agarwood Market Management
Agar wood also known as oud, is a highly valued commodity worldwide with a market worth nearly 160 million US dollars. Countries in the Middle East have a high demand for agar wood chips and oud products.
Bangladesh produces various types of high-quality agar wood such as, Double Super Agar, Proper Kalagachi Agar, and Dome Agar. Both domestic and international agar wood manufacturers utilize materials derived from agar wood industry. Prominent names in the industry include, Jannatul Naim, Jannatul Ferdous, Shaika Hazrat Aswad, Sultan Oud, King White, Al Faraj, Kul Water, and more. Which have gained worldwide recognition.
The price of agar wood varies from 5 to 10 thousand dollars per kilogram, depending on its quality. One tola (12 grams) of agar wood can be sold for 5,000 to 15,000 dollars depending on its quality.
Besides agar wood oil, the dust or residue from agar wood trees is also commercially viable. Currently, these dust particles are processed in several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and others to produce 20–22 products.
The quality of agar wood oil varies, and the price of agar wood also fluctuates according to international market demand. The determination of price depends on the quality of the wood and the producing country. Customers or businesses from different countries consider different factors to determine the quality and price of agar wood.
In the Middle East and India, the fragrance or aroma obtained from agar wood oil is the main consideration. Singapore is currently the main hub for agar wood trade in the international market. Among the main producing countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia stand out.
Profitable Agarwood Industry
Agar wood cultivation and production is an extremely profitable business. In this business, a small investment can generate significant profits. The price of one kilogram of blackwood is approximately 2,00,000 Bangladeshi Taka. The value of a mature agar wood tree can range from 5,00,000 to even 20,00,000 Taka.
Research shows that, investing in agar wood plantations can yield high profits. On the other hand, it has been found that by investing 1 dollar in a savings bond one can expect to receive 4.21 dollars after 12 years. Conversely, investing 1 dollar in agar wood trees can potentially yield anywhere from 117 to 736 dollars. Additionally, the agar wood industry is environmentally friendly.
The prospect of agar production in Bangladesh
Currently, Sylhet namely Maulvibazar, Chittagong, and Hill Tracts of Chittagong have suitable areas for agar cultivation in Bangladesh. Through modern methods, it is possible to produce a large quantity of agar and agar wood products in a short period of time, replacing traditional or conventional methods. The Biral Upozila has around 300 agar extraction factories, small and large. There are opportunities to establish more agar factories in this area.
Many Bangladeshi’s including those in Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries have established agar industries. The majority of the workers in these industries are Bangladeshi. If the complexities of importing raw materials are resolved, it will be possible to establish these industries in our country, which will increase employment opportunities for local labour and contribute to rural economic development.
Citation:
- Mohaiminur Rashid, Regional Radio Agriculture Officer, Agricultural Information Service, Sylhet.
