Growing ‘The Wood of The Gods’: Agarwood Production in Southeast Asia - Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services - page 243

remain in the tree for the rest of its life. Complete installation takes about 20-30
minutes per tree. TRP has designed agarwood inducement kits, which are now
available in Thailand, Lao PDR Vietnam, and by 2008 in Malaysia and Bangladesh.
The application varies according to tree size and the diameter at breast height
(DBH). Kits will be provided in standard packages to treat different sizes of trees.
A third generation is now developed with a special re-treatment, which can be
applied after 12 months to maximize resin formation. Harvesting can be initiated
six to 12 months after the second treatment. Trees, which are allowed to grow
longer, will produce higher quality agarwood.
TRP technology uses the entire tree to form agarwood; it is the least labor inten-
sive and the highest yielding method for producing agarwood. Comparing TRP
Cultivated Agarwood technologies:
Simple First generation 2nd and 3rd generation CA

inducement (wounding) CA technology technology

Only low yields Low-medium yields Highest possible yields

Commercially not viable Commercially hardly viable Commercially viable

Low cost/low return Medium cost/low return Medium cost/high return

I.P.R. acquired or pending I.P.R. acquired or pending I.P.R. acquired or pending

Low labor intensity Medium labor intensive Low labor intensive

Simple application Complicated technology Uncomplicated technology

Technology free High costs to manufacture Medium cost manufacture

Training simple Training easy Training easy

Slow Duration 12-36 months Duration 12-36 months

Not certified Will be certified Certified

Now applied Applied small scale Applied in trials

Scientifically tested Scientifically tested Scientifically tested

In the Seven Mountain Area hundreds of farmers have established their plantations
in combination with the cultivation of other tree or food crops. Production of com-
mercial agarwood has started. Incense is produced in the area and sold under the
name of Scented Mountain Cultivated Agarwood . The quality is relatively good
and is rapidly increasing (Heuveling van Beek 2007).

12.5.2 Agarwood Production in Thailand

Thailand has been a traditional producer and consumer of relatively large amounts
of agarwood. Over the years trade in the wide variety of agarwood products has
developed in Bangkok. Large amounts of agarwood products not only from the
country itself but also from neighbouring Cambodia and Lao DPR is channeled
through the city to markets in East Asia as well as in the Arab world.
The declining supply has lead Thai scientists in combination with the private
sector to set up some relatively large scale plantations. One of these plantations is
run by a company called Krissana Panasin in Chantaburi in Southeast Thailand.
Over the years it has established a substantial plantation of several hundred hec-
tares, including nurseries and processing and distillation units. The research department