Tripura Agar industry targets Rs 2,000 crore turnover as Centre pushes GI tag and expands export quota: Scindia

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia on January 24 said the Centre is actively working to secure a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Tripura agar while significantly enhancing export quotas to boost the agarwood industry, which he said has the potential to generate a turnover of Rs 2,000 crore.

The Union Minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone of an Agarwood Cluster Processing Centre at Kadamtala in North Tripura district. The project is being funded under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme.

Scindia said the government is also moving to digitally integrate CITES and other mandatory permissions so that agar farmers can directly access international markets without intermediaries. He said this would ensure that farmers receive the full value of their produce and strengthen the entire value chain of the agar industry.

Highlighting policy support, the minister said the export quota for agar products has been enhanced sixfold. Agar chip exports have been increased from 25,000 kg to 1.5 lakh kg, while agar oil exports have risen from 1,500 kg to 7,500 kg. He added that two central agar processing centres are being developed — one in Golaghat district of Assam and another in North Tripura.

Scindia said that from cultivation and processing to marketing and branding, the Centre is working to strengthen the agar value chain. He noted that an agar-based project worth Rs 80 crore has been taken up in North Tripura district as part of this effort.

Referring to recent development initiatives in the state, the Union Minister said he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several projects on Friday, including roads, solar power plants and health infrastructure. He said he also inspected two major projects in Agartala — the Government Dental College worth Rs 152 crore and the Child and Maternity Hospital worth Rs 200 crore.

He further said he would travel to Dumbur in Gomati district to inaugurate the Matabari Circuit project worth Rs 290 crore, describing it as a new tourism circuit jointly conceptualised by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and himself.

Scindia said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the support of the Tripura government, several steps are being taken to boost the agar industry in Assam and Tripura. He said the initiatives align with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘One District, One Product’, noting that agar has emerged as a key product in Fulbari area of North Tripura.

Expressing optimism about future growth, the minister said nearly 90 percent of the country’s estimated 15,000 crore agar trees are located in the North East and Tripura’s share is expected to grow by around 50 percent over the next four years. He also said buyer–seller meets are being organised to connect Tripura’s agar industry with global markets, citing a recent interaction with buyers from Qatar and more such initiatives planned in the future.