North Tripura charts Agarwood Future: DM joins DoNER Review

The spotlight turned to Tripura’s prized agarwood industry on Tuesday as Chandni Chandran, IAS, District Magistrate and Collector of North Tripura, joined a high-level virtual conference with Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). The meeting placed the promotion of agarwood cultivation and trade at the forefront of regional development priorities.

Held at noon, the session brought together farmers, entrepreneurs, and officials to assess progress on a comprehensive roadmap for the agarwood sector. Discussions focused on sustainable cultivation, improved processing techniques, and stronger market linkages — all seen as vital to transforming agarwood into a cornerstone of the Northeast’s economy.

Participants stressed that coordinated action between government agencies, local communities, and industry stakeholders is essential to unlock the full potential of this high-value resource. Agarwood, long prized for its fragrance and medicinal properties, is increasingly being recognized as a driver of livelihood generation and rural prosperity.

This review builds on earlier initiatives. On January 24, Union DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held extensive consultations with traders and growers, outlining strategies for production, marketing, and long-term growth. Soon after, he laid the foundation stone for a Common Agar Processing Unit at Baragol, a landmark project worth Rs 80 crore, designed to strengthen infrastructure and open new opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

The announcement of the Baragol unit had already sparked optimism across Tripura, with communities hopeful that agarwood could usher in a transformative phase of economic empowerment. Tuesday’s conference reaffirmed that vision, signaling the Centre’s commitment to building a robust agarwood ecosystem across the Northeast.