Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia laid the foundation stone of the ₹80 crore Agarwood Value Chain Development Scheme at North Fulkabari in Tripura, marking a major step towards strengthening the Northeast’s traditional strengths and linking them with global markets.
Addressing the gathering on the second day of his three day visit to Tripura and Assam, the Union Minister said the initiative reflects the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a developed and self reliant Northeast. He noted that several development initiatives were dedicated to the public on the first day of the visit, the agarwood value chain project was launched on Saturday, and the Matabari Tourism Circuit will be inaugurated on Sunday.
The Minister highlighted that India’s agarwood production capacity is largely concentrated in Tripura and Assam, and the new scheme is designed to energise and integrate the strengths of both states. He said the project will develop the entire agarwood value chain, from cultivation in farmers’ fields to processing, branding and marketing of finished products for international markets.
Under the scheme, two Central Processing Centres will be established, one in Golaghat in Assam and the other in Tripura. These centres will enable scientific processing, value addition and branding, while eliminating middlemen and ensuring that farmers receive the full value of their produce.
The Union Minister said several measures are being taken to make the agarwood sector globally competitive. The process for securing a Geographical Indication tag is underway, export quotas have been enhanced six fold, agarwood chip exports have been increased from 25,000 kilograms to 1.5 lakh kilograms, and agarwood oil exports from 1,500 kilograms to 7,500 kilograms. He added that sites and permissions are being integrated on a digital platform to allow farmers to directly connect with global buyers.
Describing Fulkabari’s agarwood ecosystem as a strong example of Local to Global, Vocal for Local and One District One Product, the Minister noted that India has around 150 million agarwood trees, nearly 90 percent of which are located in the Northeastern states. With the implementation of the scheme, Tripura’s production capacity is expected to rise by up to 50 percent.
Expressing confidence in the sector’s growth potential, the Minister said Tripura’s agarwood market alone could achieve an annual turnover of ₹2,000 crore within the next three to four years. Buyer seller meets are being organised to facilitate direct global linkages, including recent interactions with buyers from Qatar that connected farmers directly with international purchasers.
The Union Minister also said that under the leadership of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, agarwood farmers in the state will receive full value for their produce. He emphasised that the scheme is the outcome of sustained efforts over the past year to focus on the unique strengths of each state and translate them into engines of growth.
Referring to other ongoing initiatives, the Minister said he had laid foundation stones and inaugurated projects worth ₹220 crore a day earlier, reviewed the Agartala Government Inter College project and the Maternal and Child Health Hospital, and will lay the foundation stone of the ₹280 crore Matabari Tourism Circuit on Sunday.
He concluded by stating that, in partnership with the Tripura Government, the agarwood sector will gain global recognition and position the state as a benchmark in the journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
