After Assam, now the Tripura government is also encouraging farmers for commercial cultivation of agar, which is used in world-class perfumeries and other sectors, authorities said on Saturday.
Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Minister of Tripura, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday to seek his help in facilitating the export of agar oil and chips to other countries.
In the current fiscal year, Tripura aims to export 75,000 kg of agar chips and 1,500 kg of agar oil. Over 50 lakh trees can be found throughout the state.
The Tripura government released the ‘Tripura Agar Wood Policy 2021,’ which aims to double agar wood plantation by 2025. The state’s agar trade potential was estimated to be around Rs 2000 crore.
Testing laboratories and trading centers would be established as part of the policy, as well as new technology for artificial inoculation.
Deb sent out a tweet “Agarwood and its products have enormous potential to revolutionize #Tripura’s economy. Last evening, I had a crucial conversation with Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji about the long-term development of the agarwood sector, with an emphasis on value addition, R&D, testing, and improved farming.”
He said in another tweet, “It’s always a pleasure to see Shri @PiyushGoyal ji, the Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles. The issue of establishing a quota for the export of agarwood and agar products under CITES was discussed. He told me that he would be there for me.”
According to a Tripura government report, the state’s Agarwood industry has the potential to generate Rs 2,000 crore in revenue within two to three years, benefiting roughly 50,000 families.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Industries and Commerce, “Outside of the hilly north-eastern region, transportation of diverse forest products such as agar and natural rubber is a major bottleneck. Natural rubber cannot be transported across Bangladesh or exported to a neighboring country due to various restrictions imposed by the Bangladesh government.”