**Policy Summary: Promotion of Agarwood Plantation and Trade in Assam**
This document summarizes the Indian government's initiatives to promote sustainable Agarwood plantation and trade in Assam, particularly in tribal areas.
**Key Initiatives:**
* **State Government of Assam:**
* Notified "The Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy 2020" to promote sustainable utilization, plantation, trade, and industry related to Agarwood.
* Exempted Agarwood under the "Assam Tree Outside Forest Sustainable Management Rules, 2022" from requiring prior permission for felling, removal of its outturn, and movement within the North-Eastern States.
* Distributed free Agarwood seedlings to the public under the "Amrit Brikshya Andolan" in 2023 and 2024 through a Jan Bhagidari Model.
* **Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER):**
* Constituted an Inter-Ministerial Task Force in 2023, including concerned Ministries, State Governments, and stakeholders, to promote Agarwood in the North Eastern Region.
* Implemented steps based on the Task Force's recommendations, including:
* Developing a roadmap of actions.
* Forming an Agarwood Steering Group.
* Establishing an Export Facilitation Committee.
* Conducting capacity-building workshops for stakeholders.
* Rolling out a centralized portal for issuing export licenses.
* **Central Government:**
* Revised the Export Policy on January 20, 2025, based on scientific studies, to increase the export quota for Agarwood:
* Agarwood Chips and Powder (from artificially propagated sources): Increased from 25,000 kg per annum to 151,080 kg per annum.
* Agar Oil: Increased from 1,500 kg per annum to 7,050 kg per annum.
**Benefits to Local Communities:**
These initiatives aim to involve local people in various aspects of the Agarwood value chain, including plantation on their land, chip cutting and processing, inoculation techniques, and other related activities.
Key Entities Referenced
Agarwood: A fragrant resinous wood used in incense and perfumes; the central subject of the policy.
Assam: A state in North-East India where Agarwood plantation and trade are being promoted.
Karbi Anglong: A tribal district in Assam, India, specifically mentioned as a target area for Agarwood promotion.
Dima Hasao: A tribal district in Assam, India, specifically mentioned as a target area for Agarwood promotion.
The Assam Agarwood Promotion Policy 2020: A state government policy in Assam aimed at sustainable utilization of Agarwood and its plantation.
Assam Tree Outside Forest Sustainable Management Rules, 2022: Rules in Assam that exempt Agarwood from certain permissions related to felling and removal.
Amrit Brikshya Andolan 2023 and 2024: An initiative by the Assam Forest Department to distribute free Agarwood seedlings for plantation.
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region: A ministry that constituted an Inter-Ministerial Task Force to promote Agarwood in the North Eastern Region.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1342
TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2025
Promotion of Agarwood Plantation and Trade in Assam
1342. SHRI AMARSING TISSO:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to promote sustainable Agarwood
plantation and trade in Assam, especially in tribal areas like Karbi Anglong and
Dima Hasao;
(b) if so, the details of such initiatives; and
(c) the extent to which local tribal cultivators have benefited from these measures?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (c) For sustainable utilization of Agarwood and its plantation by growers, promotion
of trade and industry etc, the State Government of Assam has notified “The Assam
Agarwood Promotion Policy 2020”. The State of Assam has also exempted
Agarwood under Assam Tree Outside Forest (Sustainable Management) Rules,
2022 from taking prior permission for felling and removal of its out-turn and its
movement outside the State of Assam within the North-Eastern States. During
Amrit Brikshya Andolan 2023 and 2024, free seedlings of Agarwood have been
supplied by Assam Forest Department to public for plantation under Jan Bhagidari
Model.
For promotion of Agarwood in North-Eastern Region, the Ministry of
Development of North Eastern Region constituted an Inter-Ministerial Task Force
in 2023 involving concerned Ministries, concerned State Governments and other
stakeholders. Based on the recommendation of the Task Force, various steps have
been taken by the Government to promote sustainable Agarwood plantation and
trade in the concerned States including in the State of Assam which includes a
roadmap comprising various actions, constitution of Agarwood Steering Group,
setting up Export Facilitation Committee, capacity building workshops with the
stakeholders, roll out of centralized portal for issuing export license, etc.
Further, based on the scientific study, the Central Government has also notified
the Export Policy condition on 20th January 2025 to enhance export quota of
Agarwood Chips and Powder obtained from artificially propagated sources from
25,000 kg per annum to 1,51,080 kg per annum and the export quota of Agar oil
from 1,500 kg per annum to 7,050 kg per annum.
These steps taken for promotion of Agarwood involve local people in many ways
such as agarwood chip cutter and processing, inoculation technician, agarwood
value chain etc apart from involvement of them in plantation on their land.
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