FRIM Leads In Conservation Of Karas Trees And Raising Quality Of Agarwood

KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is one of the main producers of agarwood from natural forests, but the valuable resin-producing species of karas wood is now facing threats due to overexploitation and misunderstanding among the community regarding its production process.

Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) research officer Dr Abd Majid Jalil said that not all karas trees produce agarwood because the resin is only produced through a chemical reaction when the tree experiences certain stress.

“The general perception that equates karas tree with the “gaharu tree” has caused it (karas tree) to be cut down even though it does not contain agarwood, which has contributed to the decline of the species.

“The confusion is also manipulated by certain parties by selling karas tree seedlings as agarwood seedlings without explaining the actual process of formation of the resin,” he said in a statement.

Agarwood is a type of high-value aromatic resin that is widely used in the perfume industry, aromatic wood burning and religious ceremonies, especially in Middle Eastern and Asian countries. It is formed naturally when the karas tree (Aquilaria spp.) is injured due to fungal attacks, insects or other physical disturbances.

He called on the public not to be fooled by the sale of seedlings called ‘agaharu seedlings’ without a complete understanding of the process that requires additional time and effort to produce quality resin.

Elaborating further, he said the main karas tree species that produce agarwood include Aquilaria malaccensis, A. crassna, A. sinensis, A. rugosa, A. microcarpa, A. hirta, A. beccariana and A. rostrata, but the population of the species is declining in Peninsular Malaysia.

Due to the threat, he said the Aquilaria species is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Meanwhile, Abd Majid said FRIM, which has been conducting research on agarwood for 25 years, also provides technical services and advice to entrepreneurs and communities to improve the understanding of the resin production process and sustainable tree management practices.

He said that as the country's centre of excellence for forest research, FRIM is committed to supporting biodiversity conservation and the development of a competitive local agarwood industry through scientific and innovative approaches.

"Awareness and accurate knowledge about the karas tree and agarwood products are very important to ensure that this resource can be utilised sustainably without affecting the survival of the species," he said.

--BERNAMA