Guwahati airport approved as an export point for agarwood chips and oil – Assam holds 81% of India's agarwood resources

1 November 2026 · English Economy & BankingInfrastructure & Energy

Topics: State Days, Railways, Awards, Culture & Trade · 1 November 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

On 30 Oct 2026, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), by Notification No. 46/2026-DGFT, allowed exports of agarwood oil, agarwood chips and allied products through Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati (amending Chapter 12, Schedule 2 of the ITC (HS) Export Policy 2022). Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on 31 Oct that this met Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's request. Assam holds about 81% of India's agarwood resources.

Key facts

Background

• Agarwood (agar / oud): a fragrant wood formed when the heartwood of Aquilaria trees is infected by a fungus (mould) and the tree secretes resin, turning it dark and dense. In natural forests only about 7 in 100 trees form it. Used in incense, perfume (oud oil) and medicine.
• Conservation: the main species, Aquilaria malaccensis (family Thymelaeaceae), is IUCN 'Critically Endangered'; in CITES Appendix II since 1995; all Aquilaria species were added to Appendix II in 2004. CITES is the 1973 Washington convention.
• Assam: ancient Kamarupa is known for 'Sanchipat' manuscripts written on agarwood bark. Golaghat district's agarwood products are under 'One District One Product' (ODOP). Farmers in Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura also benefit.
• Airport name: Gopinath Bordoloi (1890–1950) – Assam's first Chief Minister after Independence (Premier from 1946); helped keep Assam from going to East Pakistan at Partition; Bharat Ratna 1999 (posthumous).

Tamil Nadu link: Chennai and Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu are among the 12 points already allowed for agarwood oil and chips exports. In Tamil, agarwood is called 'agil' ('agirpugai' – agarwood smoke).

Source: DGFT Notification 46/2026 (TaxGuru), IANS / The Shillong Times, 30–31 Oct 2026; Wikipedia (Agarwood)

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