An agarwood industry player has urged the local farmers and farmowners in Puerto Princesa City and Palawan to plant Aquilaria trees to produce the high-value agarwood, considered as one of the most expensive product in the world.
Danilo Virtudazo, who operate the Tree of Life Nursery and Farm, a TESDA and ATI accredited farm school in Brgy. San Jose, Puerto Princesa City, and a supplier of Aquilaria tree seedlings that produces agarwood, said that planting Aquilaria will enable a planter to earn as much as P300,000 for a kilo of agarwood or up to P1 Million.
“Actually, 23 ka variety ng Aquilaria, ang Malacensis (family) ang number one sa Indonesia and Malaysia. Pinili ko ito kasi magkarugtong lang ang Palawan sa Malaysia. Provern na maganda ang quality at adaptable sya,” Virtudazo, who is also an accredited Organic Farming NC II Trainor, told local farmers in a forum held at his farm school’s training hall in Brgy. San Jose on Saturday, December 19, 2020.
Agarwood is a resinous heartwood considered to be the most expensive wood product in the world today. The global market for agarwood is said to have a value of US$ 6-12 Billion according to a Thailand-based company engaged in Aquilaria tree plantations. A major market for agarwood is in the Middle East where it is used as incense and perfume.
A kilo of high-grade agarwood is reported to fetch a price of up to US$100,000 in the market. Oil extracted from agarwood known as Oud oil is likewise highly priced.
To supply the huge demand of agarwood and Oud oil, several Aquilaria tree plantations have been established in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, China, India, among others. Technology for growing and inoculating the tree to form agarwood has been developed. Like that in other countries, production of agarwood from Aquilaria tree plantation can be a promising industry and source of livelihood among rural communities. Virtudazo said that there are already existing Aquilaria plantations in southern part of Palawan like in Brooke’s Point, Rizal, Bataraza, while in Puerto Princesa, there are existing plantation in Napsan and Sta. Cruz.
“Sa mga nakita ko sa Aquilaria plantations sa Brooke’s Point, inspired talaga ako. Malaki ang prospect nya sa business,” he said. “Marami ng nagtatanim dito sa Palawan. Ibig sabihin tutubo talaga ito sa atin,” he added.
Virtudazo explained that Thailand started planting Aquilaria for agarwood 40 years ago, while Malaysia, 30 years ago. But Vietnam is ahead of them who started planting Aquilaria more than 50 years ago.
After five years, agarwood can be harvested from Aquilaria tree. A year prior to it’s harvest, an inoculant or fungus is injected into the tree’s trunk to produce more agarwood.
One hectare of land can be planted with 1,000 to 1,200 seedlings of Aquilaria trees based on the 2 x 4 meters or 3 x 3 meters spacing.
The Aquilaria seedlings available locally cost P500 to P800 for seedlings that are ready for transplanting.
Last November 2020, Virtudazo said that his team inoculated several Aquilaria trees owned by local farmers in Brooke’s Point, and these trees will be for harvesting next year, 2021. He said that his first harvest of Aquilaria, that he planted five and six years ago, will be this 2021.
With these bright prospects that may be game changers to many local farmers, continuous trainings and field exposure has been pushed by start-up Aquilaria planters for them to be guided on how to properly grow Aquilaria trees, manage the plantations, produce higher yield of agarwood, that will give them bigger income.