• It is extensively mentioned in the Vedas as a favorite of Lord Krishna.
• It has been sought after for ages for its fragrance in religious ceremonies, and its incense is believed to have been burned at the burial of Jesus Christ.
• In Genesis, Agarwood is mentioned as the only tree from which Adam and Eve could take cuttings.
• Prophet Mohammed is believed to have used Agarwood to perform fumigation ceremonies, a practice which is continued till today.
• Religious texts were written on the bark from Agar trees, as referred by Srimanta Sankardev in one of the oldest religious Hindu texts.
• The word ‘aloes’, which means Agarwood, is mentioned in the works of the Sanskrit poet, Kâlidâsa, dating back to 4th to 5th century CE.
• The use of Agarwood in the prescription of traditional Chinese medicine had also been recorded in the 5th to 6th century.
• It has found a mention in the 8th century tomes of Sahih Muslims.
• The word ‘aloes’ has been mentioned several times in the Old Testament.
• Hebrews have referred to Agarwood as ‘ahaloth’ or ‘ahlim’.

Agarwood has been widely used in perfumes, traditional medicines, aromatic food ingredients, and as raw materials for incense and religious purposes. In medicines, it is used as a natural sedative, pain reliever, digestive aid, and carminative. The dense aromatic fragrance of Agar perfumes and oils lifts the spirit like no other perfume. Because of its appealing aroma, its popularity is unmatched. No other natural aromatic and essential oil product can match up to the reputation of Agar.

Agar oil is widely used in the Arab countries as Agar attar. Agar oil is widely used as the base in the manufacturing of perfumes. It is preferred by Muslims as Agar oil is non-alcoholic. Worldwide, over 500 perfumes brands have Agar as one of their key ingredients. There is a great demand for Agar oil in the Middle Eastern countries. No alternative synthetic oil that is equal to superior grade Agar oil has been artificially manufactured till date due to its complexity.

• Agar oil is used in the manufacturing of oodh soaps and incense sticks, and in a few brands of liquor.
• Thin sticks of Agarwood are used as an insert in cigarettes for its smooth smell.
• The aromatic fragrance of Agarwood is appealing to the senses and lifts the mood like no other.
• Clothes worn for prayers are always coated with Agar attar in Muslim countries.
• Agarwood leaves are used in the manufacturing of tea which is popular for its health benefits.
• Flakes of Agarwood are also used as a spice for food, especially when dipped in soups.
• Agar enjoys a prime place in the Koh-Doh (incense ceremony) festival of Japan.
• Activities begin with the burning of Agar in the temples of Shimsho Buddhists in Vietnam.
• In various types of medicines, especially in China, it is used as a key ingredient. Chen-Xiang medicinal Agarwood is extensively sold.
• In various types of medicines, especially in China, it is used as a key ingredient. Chen-Xiang medicinal Agarwood is extensively sold.
• In the traditional medicines of South Eastern countries, Agarwood has been used as the main ingredient in many formulations. It is widely used in the treatment of respiratory, stomach, and heart-related problems, and in aromatherapy.
• In many countries, especially Arab countries, Agarwood chips and oil are used as an aphrodisiac.
• Agar is used as a therapeutic ingredient in the preparation of medicines.

The formation of Agarwood is generally associated with the wounding and fungal infection of Aquilaria trees. Many species of fungi and bacteria float about in the rainforests. When Agarwood trees are damaged, fungus enters the tree. As the fungal infection progresses in response to the fungal attack, the tree produces resin. The further progression of infection results in the dense and dark resinous heart wood. The resin-implanted wood is generally called as Resinous Wood or Infected Wood.

In the North Eastern parts of India, stem borer Zeuzera conferta bores the Agar tree, making hollow tunnels inside. Fungus enters the plant through the vertical hollow parts of the zigzag tunnels, which act as the primary site of infection. Later, fungal infection spreads to the tissues, and larger parts of wood volumes get infected. Insect boring and fungal infections are not dependent on the age of the tree.

Insects may bore even three-year-old plants, and in such cases, plants may die due to over stress. If the fungal infection happens when the tree is 5 or 6 years old, it is ideal, as 10 year-old trees are sufficient to access commercial Agarwood. The quantity and quality of resinous Agarwood formation depend on the intensity and frequency of insect infestation, and the duration of infection.

As Agarwood formation in the natural environment is a very uncertain process where it may take many years, or not lead to the formation of Agarwood at all, artificial inoculation technology was developed. This technology is effective in domesticated Agar trees and can create a stable income for farmers. As per historical references, artificial inoculation for Agarwood formation can be traced back to China in 300 C.E.

The understanding that mechanical injuries, in addition to fungal infections, promote Agar formation in trees led to the application of fungal cultures. Many cultured fungi strains are isolated from the native regions and introduced in healthy Agarwood trees for the formation of Agarwood. In general, fungal consortium was used for a better response to infection. The fungal-culture-inoculated sites of the trees show that trees have produced resins around inoculated areas.

In modern times, as the demand for the traditional variety of Agarwood rose, the harvesting of Agarwood also considerably increased. This rise in demand and production saw the unscientific harvesting of these trees, making natural trees almost disappear in their native countries. Instead of cutting only the fungus-infected part of the tree in stages, young trees that were free from infection were also cut down, pushing Agarwood to the brink of extinction. However, in the recent years, Agarwood has been cultivated extensively in the various states of India, and also other Southeast Asian countries because of the lucrative returns it fetches.

Factors such as the age of the tree or the size of the tree trunk cannot decide the harvest time of commercially grown Agarwood. Agarwood trees can be harvested only when the production of the aromatic trunk is complete and the tree starts drying up. Generally, when Agarwood is grown as a commercial crop, harvesting has to be done at a specified time for certain trees, making it a constant operation.

Factors such as the age of the tree or the size of the tree trunk cannot decide the harvest time of commercially grown Agarwood. Agarwood trees can be harvested only when the production of the aromatic trunk is complete and the tree starts drying up. Generally, when Agarwood is grown as a commercial crop, harvesting has to be done at a specified time for certain trees, making it a constant operation.

On an average, commercially grown Agarwood trees treated with artificial inoculation can be harvested in 6 to 10 years. Depending on the method of inoculation, trees may be harvested in one year, two years or three years after inoculation. Going by this timeframe, income from Agarwood is expected from 7 to 13 years after its planting.

The main attraction of Agarwood is its extremely high market value. Yet, the price of Agarwood is largely determined by its quality, which is gauged based solely on human experience in most countries where it is grown. The complicated appearance of commercially traded Agarwood, which is also decided based on personal experience, is the main reason for the unavailability of a standard quality grading system. Recently, the metabolite analysis of Agarwood has proven that there is a connection between the resin quality and the metabolite constituents of Agarwood.

The number and types of metabolite constituents may vary depending on various factors like the age of products, the source of materials etc. It’s been noted that there are over 150 compounds in different types of Agarwood sourced from different species. The content of aromadendrene was found to be higher in superior grades of Agarwood.

Therefore, this particular chemical is also considered as an effective chemical marker for Agarwood grading. The main composition of Agarwood resin is mixtures of sesquiterpenes and chromones. The key ingredients of essential oil are penoids, which, in combination with a few major volatile aromatic ingredients, create the unique and fragrant-smelling nature of Agarwood.

As per studies, important contributors to the sweet, fruity and long-lasting scent of Agarwood are PEC derivatives as they are one of the main ingredients in Agarwood. Such ingredients are only detected in the supercritical carbon-di-oxide method, and not present in steam or hydro distillation. PEC derivatives are useful ingredients in the grading of Agarwood, and are the potential markers for authentication.

The quality of Agarwood oil is determined in trade by the GCMS test reports. Although Agarwood oil is purchased in the ground level based on its visual appearance and aroma, it is finally tested by the GCMS method when it is sold to the end user, especially big perfumery companies.

Large companies that import oil do so only after stringent quality checks. Since there is no synthetic alternative available for Agar oil, the demand for natural Agar oil will always be good.

Though international market prices vary from country to country, depending on their grade and species, quality specifications are the same everywhere. Chips and flakes are sold in the retail market in attractive names. For instance, grades such as Double A (AA) and Triple A (AAA) are prevalent, and their retail prices are also always higher than that of the normal grades.

In retail stores, Agar oil and attar rates depend on brands. Agar oil is traded on tola basis, where one tola is equal to 11.65 gm. Different grades of Agarwood oil will be extracted from the wood depending on the raw materials used, and their quality. For the low-grade oil, the price start from Rs 1,500 per tola, while the higher grade of oud oil, extracted from the infected wood, is sold for about Rs 7,000 to 8,000 per tola, and the superior grade oil is sold for over Rs 15,000 per tola in the local market.

The price of Agarwood chips varies depending on its quality. While low grades of Agarwood chips may sell at Rs 5,000 to 15,000 per kg, normal grade chips cost anything from Rs 25,000 to 75,000 per kg, and fine quality, black-colored sinking superior grades of chips may cost over Rs 1,50,000 per kg.

Lower grades of Agarwood powder are the ingredients for superior quality incense sticks, for which India is one of the key markets.

For the Agarwood produce from the North Eastern states, the price was fixed by the government (before 1998). This price was at the site of supply, and the prices were always slightly high in Mumbai where it was actually exported. Agarwood is expensive since the last decade.

Due to the illegal harvesting of Agarwood over the past 3 to 4 decades, the number of Agarwood trees growing naturally in the Northeast and other states has drastically declined. To curb illegal harvesting, the Forest Department and the other enforcement agencies have brought in place a couple of regulations, and issue permit. The harvesting and transportation of logs to the processing centres required transport permit in Assam. However, getting such permits is a hectic task. Therefore, distillers have started bribing the local authorities to transport and process the material without valid permits.

The export ban on Agarwood dropped the historical trade of Indian Agarwood, forcing buyers from other countries, especially the Middle East, to shift their purchase to other Asian countries. However, large quantities of Agarwood material were sent to these countries in the form of processed chips through the surrounding countries, especially Bangladesh. Small quantities of wood can be taken in the personal baggage, too. Also, wood can be couriered to the intended destination through parcel services.

It’s been alleged that Agarwood was smuggled across the North Eastern border, particularly from Myanmar and other surrounding countries in the eastern region. Manipur is one such preferred entry point, particularly Chura Chandpur, which is the key area to obtain a Transit Permit illegally for the wood smuggled. Illegally transported wood comes to Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi from Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam. Some traders admitted to illegally export Agarwood, stating that this was a relatively risk-free process since the Customs formalities were easily negotiated.

• It is extensively mentioned in the Vedas as a favorite of Lord Krishna.
• It has been sought after for ages for its fragrance in religious ceremonies, and its incense is believed to have been burned at the burial of Jesus Christ.
• In Genesis, Agarwood is mentioned as the only tree from which Adam and Eve could take cuttings.
• Prophet Mohammed is believed to have used Agarwood to perform fumigation ceremonies, a practice which is continued till today.
• Religious texts were written on the bark from Agar trees, as referred by Srimanta Sankardev in one of the oldest religious Hindu texts.
• The word ‘aloes’, which means Agarwood, is mentioned in the works of the Sanskrit poet, Kâlidâsa, dating back to 4th to 5th century CE.
• The use of Agarwood in the prescription of traditional Chinese medicine had also been recorded in the 5th to 6th century.
• It has found a mention in the 8th century tomes of Sahih Muslims.
• The word ‘aloes’ has been mentioned several times in the Old Testament.
• Hebrews have referred to Agarwood as ‘ahaloth’ or ‘ahlim’.