Assam launches government approved agarwood inoculation centre to boost global market reach

Assam’s agarwood industry is set to receive a boost with the establishment of a government-approved artificial inoculation training and research centre at Alengi in Titabar, Jorhat, aimed at helping farmers produce high-quality agarwood through scientific techniques.

Assam’s agarwood is known for its quality and has a significant presence in domestic and international markets. However, the state’s potential has remained constrained by the limited availability of high-quality inoculated agarwood. While agarwood trees are widely found across Assam, the natural inoculation process that gives the wood its distinctive aromatic and commercial properties occurs effectively only in certain areas.

Natural inoculation is predominantly observed in parts of Jorhat, Golaghat and Sivasagar districts. In several other parts of the state, despite the availability of agarwood trees, natural inoculation is either limited or does not occur effectively, restricting farmers from producing commercially valuable inoculated wood.

To address the issue, AASGA, in collaboration with Vanadguri Agarwood, has introduced an artificial inoculation system designed to enable farmers to induce the formation of resin in agarwood trees through scientific methods.

The newly established centre at Alengi is being positioned as India’s first government-approved artificial inoculation training and research centre. It will provide practical training to agarwood farmers on scientific inoculation techniques and methods for improving the quality and production of agarwood.

Skilled trainers and sectoral experts will conduct practical sessions for farmers, while institutions such as Rainforest are also extending support for training and capacity-building initiatives.

The initiative is expected to benefit farmers in regions where natural inoculation is not prevalent by providing them with access to scientific techniques that can potentially improve the production of quality agarwood.

With greater technical knowledge, improved production practices and wider adoption of artificial inoculation, Assam could expand its agarwood output and strengthen its position in the international market. The initiative could also create additional income opportunities for agarwood growers and support the growth of the state’s agarwood-based economy