Liquid Gold of Bangladesh and the perfume Industry

Liquid Gold of Bangladesh and the perfume Industry

Potential Agar-Perfume Industry

Introduction to Agar tree

Agar is basically the name of a tree. The word agar literally means fine or fragrant wood. In English it is called Aloe Wood or Wagle Wood, in Arabic it is called Ud, in South Asia it is called Gadrud, in Malaysian it is called Gaharu, in herbal Unani medicine it is called Udhind and in Ayurvedic it is known as Aguru. The name Agar is derived from a combination of different languages ​​including Bengali, Arabic and Persian. It is difficult to find out the exact history of when and where the cultivation of agar-atar started in the world. But Southeast Asia.  The Rain Forest is the birthplace of the agarwood. Agarwood is the source of special black wood, known as agarwood. In the local language it is called ‘Maal’. Locally those who identify agar wood are called ‘runners’.

Agarwood species of Aquilaria agallucha Ges Aquilaria malaccenesis and Aquilaria malaccenesis are mainly cultivated in Bangladesh. Taxonomically agarwood belongs to the family Thymelaeaceae. Agar trees are about 15 to 40 m in length and 0.7-2.5 m in diameter.

It is a tall tree without branches and looks a lot like a shawl or a gazari tree. The white flowers and fruits of this tree are capsule shaped. The leaves of the agar tree look a lot like the leaves of a litchi tree, many can be compared to the leaves of a bud tree. White agar wood is very soft. As a result, the tree is not used for any purpose other than collecting perfume and fuel wood.

Use of agar-atar

Agarwood trade and respect in the Middle East is thousands of years old. The aroma of agar is soothing, many people use it to help increase the strength of the body. Agar oil is used in the preparation of various medicines, perfumes, perfumes, soaps and shampoos. Agar-atar is commonly used to spread perfume at home, in various religious and social occasions.

Agar perfume

Agar wood powder or powder is used as a perfume by burning like incense. Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Hindus all use agar perfume and Agar wood powder irrespective of caste or creed. Atar has become known as liquid gold in Bangladesh. Agarwood production techniques. Agarwood can be planted in the yard, on the side of the road, on fallow land, on the slope of a hill, on a hill or even in an abandoned place. Agar trees grow well in hilly or hilly lands. However, it grows more or less in all lands.

Seedling Preparation: Seeds are collected from dark brown 3.61 cm-5.00 cm (1.5 to 2 inches) long capsules. As a result Planting of saplings: The monsoon season is the best time to plant agarwood saplings. If agar saplings are planted in Bangladesh from June to September, the trees will survive more. Agar saplings can be planted on both sides of schools, colleges and roads. Agarwood can also be planted in social forestry programs. Organic manure-compost manure, TSP, MOP, gypsum manure can be applied to each hole at the time of planting according to the age of the plant. Row to row distance at planting is 1.52 m-1.62 m. (5-6 feet) and the distance from seedling to seedling is 91.44 cm-1.22 m. (3-4 feet) is better to maintain. Usually 1-2 year old agar saplings are planted. Less distance should be kept in case of single garden and a little more distance in case of mixed garden. Like other trees, it is better to apply rotten dung and manure by making holes 50 cm in length, 50 cm in width and 50 cm in depth before planting the seedlings.

Intercrops: Mixed crops like vegetables and pulses can be cultivated for the first 3 to 5 years. The next few years 1-2 year old agar saplings are planted. Less distance should be kept in case of single garden and a little more distance in case of mixed garden. Like other trees, it is better to apply rotten dung and manure by making holes 50 cm in length, 50 cm in width and 50 cm in depth before planting the seedlings.

Intercrops: 

Mixed crops like vegetables and pulses can be cultivated for the first 3 to 5 years. The next few years Shade-loving snake-scented medicinal plants can be planted. Ginger and turmeric are also cultivated. Moreover, most forest trees including betel, coffee, rubber, palm trees can be cultivated as a mixed crop with agarwood. Cardamom is also cultivated in different countries.

Irrigation is required in dry season. Weeds should be controlled as required. Moreover, if some chemical fertilizers are given according to the rules, the growth of the plant is faster. In this case, no chemical fertilizer has to be applied in the garden of new agar trees. Fertilizer can be used as the agar tree grows older. It is better to apply fertilizer once before monsoon and once after monsoon i.e. twice a year.

The plague of agar

There is no disease in agar but sometimes the stalks of the tree dry out due to root rot and dieback disease. Good results are obtained by applying the required fungicides. In the case of agar cultivation, the scorpion leaves the leaves. Pesticides of the cypermethrin group can be used to control scorpion infestation.

Agar collection time: It takes 25-30 years for agar to form naturally in agar trees. However, agar wood can be collected by artificially nailing 5-6 year old agar trees when these trees are 15-16 years old. Whether agarwood is suitable for logging is considered to be based on how diseased the tree is. Agar considering the age of the tree, the growth of the tree and its physiological maturity

Agarwood is not cut down but agarwood is cut and collected on the basis of stunted growth, visible wounds, deformation of the wood, small leaves, dead leaves on the roots and branches. Although agarwood can be collected throughout the year, January to April is the best time to collect agarwood. As the tree is dormant at this time, the amount of perfume or oil in agar wood is high and of good quality. 2.0 to 2.5 kg of agar wood is obtained from an adult tree.

Artificial method: A type of insect makes a hole in the agar tree and then takes protective measures against the fungus attack. In the biological process, a brownish-black lining is formed around the wound site of the agar tree which is the main ingredient in agar production. Using this idea, people artificially nail and create wounds, as a result of which agar is stored there.

The technique of preparing perfume

Adult agar trees are cut from the agar garden and first cut into pieces (logs in the local language). These pieces are separated into two parts. One part consists of thick black, light black, copper, light copper colored pieces of wood and the other part contains gray, almost white colored pieces of wood. Light black, copper and slightly tan agar wood logs are cut vertically. 

The stars are carefully removed from the slices. The slices are done as carefully as possible so that the black part or the agars remain intact. The slit slices are called dhoom in the local language. The work of making dhoom in the factories is mainly done by women. After dhum, the wooden slices are cut into small pieces. The use of da to crush the slit slices (dhoom) as well as the use of machines in many factories is done. The chopped pieces are then soaked in a container or water tank, drum, large pot (called dag in the local language) for 10 to 15 days. The soaked cut wood is picked up, sifted with water and covered with powder. In the local language, the pieces of wood powder are called churan. The knives need to be soaked again for at least eight to ten days. Note that it is about soaking in the pot. Many do it twice and many do it once. When the crumbs have decomposed very well, they have to be taken out of the pot and placed in a special steel container filled with water and then heated from the bottom. The sides of the container are very tightly closed, much like the air tight. In this way heat has to be applied continuously for 10 to 12 days. A tube is attached to the top of the pot in a special process and The other end of the tube is connected to another vessel. The pipe is connected to another vessel by another steel-filled steel conductor. Here the steel vessel is filled with stagnant water, so that the vapors floating through the tube come in contact with the stagnant water and easily turn into boiling water. Wood chopped in the heat of the fire, When boiled, the steam enters the upper tube and the steam condenses and boils in the pot at the other end. Concentrated steam becomes water and accumulates in certain containers and a layer of oil falls on it. This coating of oil is agar perfume oil. The oil part is then collected from the water. It is basically a special distillation process in the process of evaporation-cooling. One can simultaneously fill 64.75 kg-112.00 kg (2 to 3 ounces) of churn (agar chips / agar wood pieces). Raise 8-9 with one pot of churned fuel, perfumes are available. One ounce of perfume amounts to about 12 grams. According to the information received, after extracting the perfume, the remains are sold in the agar lamp factory. Moreover, the remaining parts are also exported to the Middle East.

Agar market management

The world has an export market of about 180 million US dollars for agar perfume products. Middle Eastern countries are in high demand for agarwood chips and perfumes. There are different types of agar wood in Bangladesh such as double super, agar prop, banana agar, dome agar. Many local and foreign perfumes are made from agar perfume industry. Notable among these are Jannatul Naeem, Jannatul Ferdous, Shaikha, Hazre Aswad, The scents of Sultan, Ud, King White, Al Farage, Cool Water are popular all over the world. The market price of agar wood is five to ten thousand dollars per kg. Depending on the quality, one perfume is sold up to 5-15 thousand. Moreover, the dust or remnants of agarwood are also exportable. At present it produces 20-22 products by processing these dusts in other countries including UAE, Singapore, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia. The price of agar oil is multifaceted and the price of agar wood may vary according to the international market standards.

Initial consideration depends on the quality of the timber and the country of manufacture. Consumers or traders from different countries determine the value of agar wood by considering different qualities. In the Middle East and India, agarwood oil is considered to be the main ingredient. Singapore is currently the hub of agar business in international trade. Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia are some of the major producing countries.

Profitable business agar industry

Agar-perfume production is a very lucrative business. It is possible to earn more profit by investing less capital in this business. One kg of black wood costs about 2 lakh rupees. An adult agarwood tree can cost up to Rs 5-10 lakh or even Rs 20-25 lakh. Studies have shown that it is possible to achieve high profits by investing in agar plantations. According to another survey, investing ড 1 in a savings account is 4.21 after 12 years. Dollars are available, on the other hand, if you invest 1 dollar in agarwood, you can expect 118 to 638 dollars. Moreover agar industry is an environmentally friendly industry.

Recommendations for the development of agar industry

Proper implementation of proper plans, policies, initiatives and initiatives is required to shape the agar perfume industry. The recommendation for quality improvement is to conduct modern quality research on agar in government initiatives. To make arrangements for proper training of agricultural extension workers, entrepreneurs, agar workers and artisans. Creating opportunities to create world-class cosmetic products from agar; Providing loan facilities to government enterprises; Leasing of government khas lands especially hills; Establishment of separate infrastructure and agro-industrial city for agar industry.

The potential of the agar industry

At present in Bangladesh there are suitable places for agar cultivation in Sylhet i.e. Moulvibazar, Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts. It is possible to produce more agar and agar products in a short time through artificial method instead of conventional method. There are about 300 agar perfume factories in Baralekha upazila. There are opportunities to set up more agar factories in this area as planned. Agar industry has developed in different countries of the Middle East including Dubai. Most of the workers in these industries are Bangladeshis. If the complexities related to the import of raw materials are removed, it will be possible to set up these industries in our country and the opportunities for domestic labor will increase, employment opportunities will increase and rural economic development will take place.

Government initiative in agar-atar industry

Agarwood and perfume are a very valuable potential perfume. Despite being a symbol of nobility, the agar industry is still undeveloped in Bangladesh. This very powerful resource is in great demand in various countries in South Asia, including the Middle East. Moreover, it is also used as a cosmetic in Japan, Europe and other countries. With the increase in demand, research on agarwood is intensified on an urgent basis for the development of this export-oriented industry.