Agrotech

Innovation Technology

At Agrotech Resources, technological innovations and R&D activities in association with experts in the field have resulted in numerous modifications to the diverse aspects of the Agarwood industry. While technological innovations at every step have resulted in enhanced production and decreased cost, they have also resulted in superior quality products at reasonable prices, something that the industry looks forward to. Many in-house technologies developed with the active assistance of its sister concerns have also proved to be very advantageous to the company’s growth. Research activities are also underway with government and private institutions to develop a comprehensive artificial inoculation technology and scientific and modern methods of cultivation. Associations are also in progress for research and development with the horticulture and forest departments, agricultural universities, forestry colleges, and medicinal and aromatic plant boards etc. The company has close collaborations with expert organizations and individuals in the Agarwood industry around the globe.

Agricultural Technology

Agrotech Resources plantations are developed in the unique model of inter-cropping system where three to four compatible crops are grown together, with the right spacing, resulting in the lowest production costs. Plantations are promoted in ideal locations based on climate, elevation, soil fertility, topography, rainfall, water source etc. We have also introduced genetically traced species to get better results in terms of productivity and quality. Our plantations are in an elevation ranging from 1,000 ft to 3,000 ft from Mean Sea Level, climatic zones which have a long duration of freezing winter and warm summer, conditions that result in the best quality of resinous wood.

Inoculation Technology

Most of Agrotech Resources’s plantations are in heavy rainfall ranges that encourage insect boring, followed by fungal infection, and the formation of the best quality resinous wood. Years of extensive research has led to the inoculation technology that produces less volume but good quality resinous wood. An efficient method that follows simple and cost-effective steps, it resembles natural phenomena. The results this far have shown good quality wood, similar to that of wild Agarwood in terms of chemical constituents and essential oil content, with a strong fragrance, ideal texture, and desirable black resin.

Harvesting Technology

The company offers end-to-end solutions employing advanced technologies in harvesting and regenerating Agarwood trees. Especially in the Assam region, right identification of the infected trees, and harvesting them at the right time, are very important in conserving uninfected trees. As only 7 out of 100 trees are naturally infected, Agrotech Resouces provides the right advice on harvesting the infected trees to get maximum income. Trees are recommended for harvesting after the completion of winter, when they have the maximum oil content. The company recommends the pulling out of the tree along with its roots only in cases where the root is infected. The company generally recommends only the harvesting of branches, which is good for the conservation of trees as well.

Primary Processing

At Agrotech Resources, constant innovation has resulted in numerous modifications in the diverse aspects of pre-harvesting, processing, and segregating wood into various grades. Trees chosen for harvest are cut down, leaves plucked out, and cut into pieces 1 to 2 meters long, weighing 10 to 20 kg each, and transported. At the primary processing facility, the bark is slit and the infected and the non-infected wood parts are separated using indigenous tools. The infected wood is then graded according to industry standards as soft yellowish white material, brown, and black. Whereas the average quality of Agarwood is brown in colour, the best one is black, giving out a good fragrance when burnt. The wood is segregated into various grades depending on its density, and each grade is separately used for extraction.

Traditional Processing

The use of simple technologies coupled with years of experience is playing a major role in yielding quality Agar oil. While the company follows traditional methods to extract Agar oil in its purest form from naturally infected wood, it employs modified processes at various stages of the extraction process to produce fragrances as per the customers' requirements. It has developed an efficient Agarwood oil distilling process with the assistance of its sister concerns which are engaged in the extraction of value-added ingredients for food products and cosmetics. Steam distillation or hydro distillation is followed with the catalysts to increase recovery. The number of days of distillation, temperature, condensation, and the collection of oil as per the distillation duration will determine the quality of Agar oil.

Modern Processing Technology

The temperature of the Agarwood powder in the general grinding process which does not use a cooling system can reach up to +70 degrees. Such a high temperature will reduce volatile components and heat-sensitive constituents in the Agarwood powder. Therefore, the company follows the cryogenic powdering system in case of extraction of superior grades of resinous wood. In order to get the best quality product and highest recovery, superior grades of chips are extracted in the Super Critical Fluid Extraction (SCFE) system using carbon-di-oxide as a solvent. SCFE is the process of separating one compound, that is oil, from another compound, that is Agarwood powder, using supercritical fluids with high pressure.

INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY