Guwahati airport designated as export hub for Assam agarwood products
The Centre has approved Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport for the export of agarwood chips and oil.
The Union government has designated Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati as a point for exporting agarwood chips and agarwood oil, according to The Assam Tribune and The New Indian Express.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced the decision on Saturday, stating it was granted following a request from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Goyal said the move would provide a logistical boost for Assam and the Northeast by bringing international markets closer to local producers and exporters.
Chief Minister Sarma said the approval would simplify logistics for businesses and increase profitability for farmers. He noted that Assam is a leading producer of the fragrant wood, which is used in perfumes and incense.
The Chief Minister's Office stated that Assam contains approximately 81 per cent of the country's agarwood resources. The industry supports more than 50,000 farmers and workers.
The decision follows an October 26 shipment where 123 kg of agarwood chips were exported to Dubai.