This public advisory is being issued to caution individuals and private entrepreneurs that we do not have enough information to determine if the agar species grown in Bhutan is the one which fetches high value in international market.
In view of this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests is currently carrying out a pilot research project on raising agar saplings from seeds collected from mother plants in Bhutan and piloting the distillation of agarwood oil from agarwood found in Bhutan. Once the pilot research project is completed, the results will be disseminated to the public to facilitate informed investments.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests would like to caution the general public that any investment into agar plantation and distillation is not advisable till clear technical information can be made available. The Ministry shall not be held liable for any issues arising from such investments in future.
Agarwood is a valuable resinous wood that is produced from Aquilaria, an evergreen tropical tree species. Among various types of agar tree species Aquilaria malaccensis is regarded as the species which is valued high in the international market. This is being issued in the public interest.
-DoFPS
