Now Reading: Assam plans agarwood overhaul to curb middlemen, boost farmer profits
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Assam plans agarwood overhaul to curb middlemen, boost farmer profits
Assam is planning to streamline the agarwood value chain to ensure farmers get a fair share of profits, Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said on Wednesday. He said middlemen currently control the trade…
Assam is planning to streamline the agarwood value chain to ensure farmers get a fair share of profits, Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said on Wednesday. He said middlemen currently control the trade and take most of the earnings, while farmers cultivating agar on nearly two lakh hectares outside forests see little benefit.
Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Mallabaruah said the government has brought together farmers, processors and exporters to simplify the process from plantation to export. He said the aim is to help the agar industry grow into a major livelihood generator like Assam's tea sector.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Agarwood is Assam's second-largest cash crop after tea, but its trade has long been hampered by complex transit rules and a fragmented supply chain. Under the existing system, farmers must obtain multiple permissions from the forest department before harvesting or transporting agar trees, creating opportunities for intermediaries. The state government now appears to be moving toward a single-window clearance model similar to the one adopted for bamboo in 2017, which cut approval times and raised farmer incomes. The real test will be whether the proposed reforms can break the grip of local cartels in upper Assam districts such as Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. The government is expected to release a draft policy within three months.
The government is expected to release a draft agarwood policy within three months for public consultation.
Source: assamtribune.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
