Plantation and coffee estate owners in Kodagu, Hassan, Chikmagalur and Dakshina Kannada finally have a reason to cheer despite the decreasing prices of their produce.
For the last five to six years, a wonder plant agarwood has replaced the conventional silver oak in many coffee estates bringing handsome dividends to growers.
Agarwood is a high value commercial crop which is in great demand in national and international markets.
The tree is used to make ittar (natural perfume oil) and perfume.
The outer part of the stem, which is of low quality is used to make incense sticks and in paper manufacturing industries.
An agarwood sapling is easy to grow as its maintenance is inexpensive and it gives yield in eight years.
Traditionally, almost all coffee growers in India plant silver oaks as an intercrop providing shade to other plants. Recently, coffee plantations in Western Ghats and Malnad region have started planting agarwood. The origin of the tree can be traced to the evergreen forests of Southeast Asia.
Agarwood was first introduced in South India by Vanadurgi Agarwood India Limited (VAIL) which was formed with its shares distributed among planters, promoters and Vanadurgi Flavours and Extracts (P) Limited.
The company is exclusively involved in the planting, processing and marketing of agarwood.
VAIL Managing Director K N Dharmendra Kumar told Express that the company has distributed more than one million agarwood saplings to 5,000 plus growers across eight districts in Malnad region.
The company has entered into a buy-back agreement with farmers to provide good seedlings, technical guidance, artificial inoculation, setting up of processing units and purchase of their inventories.
He said that 150 to 200 agarwood trees can be planted in one acre plot of coffee, arecanut or coconut plantation.
Anil Ponnappa, a progressive coffee planter in Madapura said he has planted 600 agarwood trees supplied by VAIL in his coffee estate. Another agarwood grower N Vishwanath in Sagar, Shimoga district said he has planted 15,000 saplings on his dry land a year ago. “Agarwood is a good alternative to other crops whose prices are falling these days,” he added.
Agarwood is costlier than sandalwood in the international market as it is in great demand in Gulf countries.
A sandalwood tree takes at least 25-30 years to fully grow while an agarwood takes tree takes only 8-15 years.
The inner stem (resinous) of agarwood is valued at `10,000 per kg while agarwood oil costs Rs 10 lakh per kg in the international market. Agarwood is priced according to the density of wood, resin, purity, aroma and colour.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Coovercolly Indresh / ENS – Somwarpet / December 02nd, 2012
