Guwahati airport approved as export point for agarwood products
The Centre has designated Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport for the direct export of agarwood chips and oil from Assam.
The Centre has approved Guwahati’s Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport to serve as a designated export point for agarwood oil and chips, according to The New Indian Express. This decision allows agarwood products to be sent directly from Assam to international markets.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the Narendra Modi government granted the approval following a request from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Goyal said the move provides relief to producers and exporters in Assam, which is a leading producer of the product.
Chief Minister Sarma said the declaration would simplify logistics and increase the income of local farmers. He noted that approximately 81 per cent, or about 12 crore, of the country’s agarwood trees are located in Assam, supporting around 50,000 farmers.
Sarma flagged off a consignment of 123 kg of agarwood chips to Dubai on October 26. He added that agarwood cultivation has significant potential for earning foreign exchange.
The product was chosen under the 'One District One Product' initiative for the Golaghat district. Indigenous farmers in that district have been involved in agarwood cultivation for several years.