Small-scale Agar (Aquilaria agallocha Roxb.) Based Cottage Enterprises in Maulvibazar District of Bangladesh: Production, Marketing and Potential Contribution to Rural Development

Abstract

Globally, trade in agar-based products is growing rapidly due to their recent adoption as an ingredient in the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals sector. In Bangladesh, people living in some north-eastern districts have been engaged in the production, processing and trading of such products for several decades. These practices, which they consider as the lifeblood of their existence, have been inherited from their ancestors. This paper reports a case study carried out in Maulvibazar district exploring the production and marketing, and industry problems, of agar-based enterprises and their potential contribution to socio-economic development. An exploratory survey was undertaken over 30 randomly selected agar-based factories during December 2005-April 2006, with entrepreneurs of the factories personally interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The majority of the factories of the area were found to depend on local sources of raw materials to produce agar-based products. About 514 full and part-time workers are employed in the factories. Average annual expenditure, revenue and net annual income per factory for three consecutive years 2003-2005 of the study were estimated as Tk 63,980, Tk 111,414 and Tk 47,435, respectively, being highest where attar (agar oil) of superior grade was produced for export. There appears to be a sustainable source of raw materials, availability of technical and financial assistance and opportunity for expansion of market facilities to secure the maximum benefit achievable from this highly promising industry.

Management and Economic Aspects of Growing Aquilaria agallocha Roxb. in Bangladesh

“…From previous study (Chowdhury et al 2003;Uddin et al 2008) and field observations it is clear that cultivation of agar trees in a public-private management and agar oil manufacturing enterprises in Moulvibazar district have been changing the lifestyle of many poor people by bringing socio-economic benefits. It was reported by Hayder et al (2005) that about 25,000 workers were engaged in 1 The Shahih Muslim is a collection of hadith compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi.…”

“…Although a number of studies have been conducted on the socio-economic role of agar oil enterprises (e.g. by Chowdhury et al 2003;Uddin et al 2008), the agar plantation sector has been totally ignored and no studies have been conducted on the financial performance of agar plantations. In this article, a comprehensive approach is used to explore agarbased financial activities ranging from planting agar trees to agar oil extraction and processing in the Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh.…”

Initial growth performance of agar (Aquilaria malaccensis) plantations at public and private sectors in Bangladesh

“…The Forest Department (FD) raised some agar plantations in denuded and encroached forest areas of Chittagong, Sylhet, Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban hill districts) and Cox's Bazar districts. There are also some privately owned agar plantations in the north-east, particularly in Maulvibazar district where many families have been engaged in production and marketing of agar and agar-based secondary products for several decades (Uddin et al, 2008). Bangladesh has suitable weather to produce agar and this is why it can be promote agar cultivation by developing agar sector.…”

Changing Consumption and Marketing pattern of Non-timber Forest Products in a Competitive World: case Study from an Urban Area of North-eastern Bangladesh

“…Ahmed et al 2007;Chowdhury et al 2007;Mukul et al 2010;Uddin et al 2006); and socio-economic potential of NTFPs to rural livelihoods (e.g. Ahmed et al 2007;Alamgir et al 2006;Khan and Khan 1994;Motaleb and Hossain 2008;Mukul 2009;2008;Nath et al 2000;Uddin et al 2008;Uddin and Mukul 2007).…”