Sustaining the Fragrance of Arabia (page 2 of 2)

Already, illegal trade in agarwood from PNG is estimated to be much larger than the legal. The rush accelerates as communities realise the value of the product.

Agarwood oil prices can range from US $ 5,000 to US $ 10,000 per kg. In the UAE too, oodh doesn't come cheap, with 1 kg of average quality reportedly costing Dh 200; and the very best as much as Dh 20,000.

Valued in Aurvedic, Tibetan and East Asian medicine for its ability to treat a range of disorders, agarwood is also used by Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus as incense in religious ceremonies and as a customary perfume. Agarwood essences are used to fragrance soaps and shampoos, and the popularity of highly priced essential oils reinforces the value of agarwood derivatives. In Taiwan agar is an aromatic ingredient in local wines.

Agar is used at a national level but it is mainly exported to Taiwan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Indonesia and Malaysia are currently the main countries of export; and Singapore is known to be the country re-exporting the largest quantities of agarwood from Indonesia. India was once a major supplier of agarwood to international markets, but it now acts primarily as a processing centre since its own natural stocks have been largely depleted by over exploitation.

Inclusion of all agarwood species in Appendix II of CITES will not halt the trade. It would regulate it. Plants and animals categorised in Appendix II may be traded legally, provided valid permits accompany shipments. Whether this happens or not rests in the hands of the CITES Parties meeting in Bangkok.

Who knows? The fragrance of Arabia may still live on.