Best joke of the Labor day 1st May 2024. Denying the truth doesn’t change the facts, where were the the old time dealers disappeared without trace? Yes, some already make themselves retired from this industry.
… a decade ago, it was a hot piece of cake in Malaysia / Indonesia, those fell into the trap will tell the story.
Seeds collection season in Thailand 2023…
Collection date : To be advised
Payment : 50% 2 weeks before date of collection, balance COD.
Expected qty / Kg : 7000 ~ 8000
( Clients will be shared a method to germinate seeds in commercial way )
Ignore this post IF you think air shipped is your choice.
Is Malaysia much advanced than Thailand and how is agarwood industry in Malaysia ?
In Malaysia, many agarwood cultivators kayaking themselves in the middle of the ocean, being too expensive to pay for inoculant or leave the agarwood farm unattended. I posted this page in 2013 .. https://gaharujinkou.com/2013/07/29/agarwood-investors-or-growers-must-read/
Sharks are killed for its fins, and discarding the rest of the shark back into the ocean … because the rest of the shark has little value relative to that of its fins. This analogy applies in the following ..
in agarwood industry, NOT the entire tree will yield marketable quality woodchip. Performing inoculation in one go is like harvesting the entire shark and demanding supreme shark fin price for the entire fish, which drives buyers away to Thailand instead of Malaysia. For those new comers (Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines) venturing into agarwood industry, my advise .. don’t be “monkey see monkey do”. Highly possible the one who you meet may NOT explore you enough about inoculation’s harvests. Needless to say, if he is one of the inoculation service providers …
.. to be sustainable and profitable in agarwood industry, this is how Thailand is practising, Oud oil USD5,000 / kg in Thailand Vs USD12,000 / kg in Malaysia. Being a wise consumer, where do you want to go ?
Click this link .. https://gaharujinkou.com/natural-infection/
Conclusion, in terms of economic value and quality, inoculation may not be a good solution to be precisely pronounced.
For ordinary agarwood species, patience and knowhow are equally required to selectively produce marketable quality woodchip.
Ah T
Kynam origins from China. The propagation of Kynam had been successfully grown in Malaysia, highly possible some of them started as early as 2016. The best part of kynam, it is a miracle species simply requires NO man-made inoculant and yield supreme quality of resin. Yes, the initial investment cost is relatively high (USD 20~40 / seedling). But, you will NOT end up in paying the hidden cost of inoculation which may even be more expensive in the end.
There were constantly requests from Pakistan, Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam, showing interest to cultivate Kynam in their beloved countries respectively. As far as Gaharujinkou is concerned, NO Kynam seedlings to be delivered overseas.
For those (Overseas) who is interested of getting Kynam propagation, please whatsapp Gaharujinkou @ +60123231161 (Malaysia) for other possible option.
Gaharujinkou Does NOT sell Kynam seedlings physically to overseas..
further reading … Kynam30Dec2019 ( Best view in Power point show )
Planting money (Agarwood) trees doesn’t come without its challenges. One of these challenges is the inoculation. The Aquilaria tree has to be induced with a infection to induce production of agarwood (the resin), otherwise the tree would be quite worthless. Not all Aquilaria trees produce agarwood, they have to be infected by a certain kind of stress before they start “fighting back” with resin production to counter the infection. And even so, there is no set volume in the resin production (meaning each tree will produce its own amount).
Newbies blinded by the agarwood get-rich-quick scheme are often scammed through these so-called high quality inoculant which “guarantees” high rates of return. There are “many roads that lead to Rome”, with trial and error being part of the journey but there are no guarantees.
The inoculation cost for a 5-8 years old tree in Malaysia ranges 30 ~ 50USD /tree inclusive labour (Time of writing … Dec 2018). Being a layman grower, this can be an astonishing figure if you have 1000 trees to inoculate. Even so, there is another barrier if you are able to sell the inoculated product.
Following link explains further “Natural infection without inoculation“.
… To be continued …
There are multiple requests from overseas for agarwood seeds delivery to countries such as Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and India.
I basically will be able to supply seeds only locally or hand carry when customers visit me in Malaysia. Reasons being, fresh seeds ONLY will be supplied, and you need prompt attention to handle the seeds in shorter time.
If the seeds were to deliver through air-shipment, ALWAYS the seeds ended up in custom clearance, confiscated by custom or it took weeks for clearance.
There are number of criteria, you as a seed-buyer need to be aware, to minimize the bad quality of seeds supplied by the sellers …
1. There are 7000 ~ 8000 seeds / Kg. ( Applied to Sinensis, Crassna, Sub-integra)
If the seeds are smaller, you will have more seeds, it means it is from younger mother trees.
If the seeds are lighter, you will have more seeds, it means the seeds might be aging, losing its moisture content.
2. Look for fresh seeds …
It is NOT possible for the seeds colleectors to provide fresh seeds entirely, however the above-mentioned criteria will be served as a base line to minimize irresponsible supply of bad quality of seeds.
Further reading … https://gaharujinkou.com/cultivated-agarwood/germinate-gaharu-seeds/
In Malaysia and China, growers no longer practice seed-planting, read this … https://gaharujinkou.com/kynam/plantation/
We were told … “Research showed that native agarwood tree should be minimum 12 years old before artificial induction, this is because the resin duct system of the tree would have been mature by then.” Anything harvested earlier than that … is considered premature harvesting which ends up to be low quality product.
This statement is true if we were to apply on traditional species of agarwood. New happening is happening in agarwood industry, we should NOT anchor the “Past knowledge to do tomorrow’s business”.
The emergence of digital world has made many traditional businesses in buried. Kynam (self-inoculation) species will eventually replace the native agarwood business. Matter of time, man-made inoculation technology will find its graveyard to rest in peace or better yet in pieces.
This is Kynam … something difficult to explain by words if you have not explored it personally.
The following videos show that majority of the kynam trees were mechanically stressed at the age of 3 years and 1.5 ~2 years agglutinating time prior to harvest.
Knowledge plays a part in everything we do. It can help you make better decisions, take better care of your agarwood plantation and much more.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” He knew the value of constantly becoming more knowledgeable. You have to keep improving yourself on a daily basis. You have to keep acquiring knowledge and improving your skills. “Once you stop learning, you start dying.”
The agarwood causal agent could be divided into chemical, physical, and biological agents. Mechanical injury could be considered as physical inducer of agarwood formation, as the induction of some chemicals, such methyl jasmonate is considered as chemical inducer. Fungi are considered as one of the biological agents that induce agarwood formation. This biological agent is more preferred since its formation development is considered progressive. Logically, any so called microbial-based inoculant must come in 3 parts (bottles). Namely,
Why ? Reasons being two…
Application ….
What is “RECOVERY” ?? Pls search in myblog, u should be able to find the explanation.
What we see in the market, they are mixed in one bottle. Pathologically speaking, how can the microbes thrive? It always ends up with “RECOVERY” after 24months. This is because the microbes are losing their strength in the single-bottle product… how do expect a saltwater fish to survive in fresh water environment??
… U can use the above-mentioned knowledge to produce your own. If you would like to explore in backyard inoculant production, pls have some reading “here“… and ring me “here“.
Bamboo stick costs USD0.005/ piece, what so special about bamboo stick, then ?
Go to shop/market and buy bamboo chopsticks, then dip into any liquid/inoculant you are comfortable which you think will eventually produce Agarwood, simple is that.
When bamboo stick is inserted into tree’s tissue, it provides slow release of inoculant to the vicinity, causing a long period of WAR between tree’s defence mechanism and stress by the inoculant in the wounded bark. Formation of agarwood is a process in nature through the dynamic interaction of trees and CONTINUOUS stress. Layer of resinous wood is formed gradually, and this agarwood formation becomes thicker if PERFECT environment is matched. If the tree is very healthy, where the TUG-of-WAR is won by the tree’s defence mechanism, then most probably the treated bark will end up in white tissue, where the wounded bark has recovered. On the other hand, if the treated tree is rather weak, external stress by bamboo stick may seriously damage to the said tree, even causing fatality.
There were many cases reported about bamboo stick failed to generate reasonable yield after inducement. Some of them claimed to different microclimate, soil properties and rainfall in different countries. I had the same experience as the entire batch i purchased in 2013 did NOT work when induced in many places in Malaysia. Therefore, the following formula has been altered and produced to suit local parameter.
I received many requests from gaharujinkou readers about inoculants, today i want to share with you a natural method to produce natural agarwood …..
it is to burn the live agarwood tree with a large fire, forcing the agarwood tree to be injured. It looks very cruel, but it does not let the agarwood tree die, so the agarwood tree will mobilize the resin secreted by the immune system to heal the fire, and eventually form agarwood.
The method originates from the process of natural fire or lightning strike, and is suitable for the older agarwood tree, which is an extension of the peeling method. In practice, agarwood trees with a body age of more than 6 years and a breast diameter of 25 cm or more can be selected. 
The bark is first peeled off from the base of the tree until the height of 2/3 of the whole tree. Leave the leaves on the top, use a gas torch to burn the whole agarwood tree and burn it black; then wrap the tree with a plastic film to prevent water loss. 
After 5-8 months, when you see the tree begins to burst, you can cut the tree and take the resinous wood. Remove the coke from the tree and see a layer of agarwood at a distance of 0.8-1.0 cm from the tree.
This fire method is claimed to be the only physical method in the agarwood producing that can produce a close aroma to kynam!! The disadvantage is that if damage to the tree is serious, it is easily to cause the death of the tree.
Be EXTREME alert with safety precaution … blame me NOT … for causing fire in your farm !!!
Source of info : China
For those who are interested to germinate gaharu seeds, following guidance may be helpful …
General points ..
Naturally .. fruit splits
Fresh seed collected …
Seeds collection …
Germinate the seed with sharp tail pointing upwards .. Use peatmoss as germination medium is the best
Day 9th ….. Seed start to crack …taproot start to emerge..
Day 9th .. Some grow faster .. Taproot emerges downwards 2.5cm ..
Day 12~18th .. Start to sprout above growing medium..
Day 12~19th .. Start to sprout above growing medium..
Day 12~19th .. Start to sprout above growing medium..
Day 20~26th .. Seedlings growing..
Day 20~26th .. Larger germination pot is suggested, the taproot is finding its way out of the confined pot, which is about 35cc in volume..
Day 20~26th .. Use of non-woven nursery bag instead of germination tray is recommended..
Appropriate usage of PGR accelerates the plant growth
Asia Plantation Capital’s new Agarwood (Gaharu) factory and Research Centre (Asia Plantation Capital)
SINGAPORE, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Asia Plantation Capital announces the opening of its new, purpose-built Agarwood (gaharu) factory and research centre, located in Johor, Malaysia.
A mere 20 minutes drive from the Causeway link to Singapore, the town of Seri Alam is now host to the state of the art facility that incorporates an Oud oil distillery, a wood chip processing centre, and a fragrance stick factory. Also situated within the complex is a visitor centre, along with a wholesale factory shop stocked with the ever-growing range of Agarwood products produced by Asia Plantation Capital (APC).
Occupying a brand new 44,000 ft2 unit in the Masai Industrial Park, the multi-million US dollar investment is integral to the company’s strategic expansion of its Malaysian plantations and production capacity. The location — close to a railway hub and deep sea port facilities — was carefully and painstakingly selected, with logistics very much at the forefront of the decision making process. Access to the company’s plantations in Thailand, India and Myanmar were key factors, as well as the company’s ongoing factory expansion in Shenzhen, China. Also planned Oud factories opening in the Middle East located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are being developed by the company over the next 18 months.
The facility is also strategically and conveniently located in close proximity to Singapore — a country currently ranked as one of Asia’s biggest Agarwood import and export centres — with more than US$1.2 billion in estimated trade per annum (according to official reports). This presents APC with a leading competitive edge in terms of its access to a significant market on its very ‘doorstep.’ This is a further key aspect of the planning and location of all the groups factories with China, Northern Asia and the Middle East between them accounting for a substantial bulk of current world trade in Agarwood products.
The factory has been equipped with the latest heat exchange steam distillation units using purified water, and a clean energy solar power system is being installed to ensure maximum economic efficiency. Sustainable, environmentally friendly energy systems are utilised throughout.
As part of a forward supply agreement with China’s largest retailer of fragrance sticks, a 300 tonne per annum production line is also being installed, and this will expand in due course to 600 tonnes per annum, to incorporate the company’s other locations. The facility also houses a laboratory for perfumes and essential oils, APC inoculation systems production, and MSDS analysis systems.
“We are very excited to finally be able to take the wraps off our state of the art Agarwood factory,” said Steve Watts, CEO of Asia Plantation Capital Berhad, in Kuala Lumpur. “We have spent several years reviewing the best all round strategic location, and are pleased to announce this expansion in Malaysia. It’s a result of the country’s stable business environment and forward thinking forestry and plantation departments at governmental level, that have led us to select Malaysia and Johor for this strategic factory expansion.”
He continued, “We fully expect over the coming years for Asia Plantation Capital to become a major exporter and employer in Malaysia as part of this programme. This is part of an Asia-wide strategic factory and production expansion, with a distillation factory joint venture in China with Hua Lin Group — China’s largest manufacturer of Agarwood products – as well as strategic expansion in Thailand into wood chip production and incense manufacturing and planned factories in the Middle East. Over the last six years we have constantly been researching and improving our systems, and have now identified and perfected a proprietary ‘soil to oil’ production process which is now the subject of 22 separate intellectual property patent applications. These systems are not only being utilised by the group to widen our market share, but is also being offered to smaller growers and farmers across Asia, to assist them in the cultivation and end processing of Agarwood into a valuable income. This will, in turn, help boost rural economies and also underpin the group’s future supply requirements. As well as supplying systems and knowledge, we are offering fixed ‘buy backs’ on products made exclusively from our systems. This process is already underway in India, Thailand and Malaysia.”
Watts went on to say, “The Agarwood plantation industry, as we know, is huge and is continuing to grow rapidly. Currently however, in many cases, the standards of production are not up to scratch, and the systems being used are performing poorly. Substandard products are the result, and a significant proportion of these still emanate from illegal sources. The consumer market is evolving and growing at a rapid rate, and consumers are looking for products of consistently high quality with all the relevant seals of authenticity, purity and sustainability. We have found that by having our own distribution companies in the Middle East, China and Europe, and being face to face with our clients on a daily basis, we can achieve all of this, and more.”
Watts concluded, “Our products now come exclusively with their own individual certifications — including those from CITES — along with EU Product Approvals, Product Safety Data Sheets, IFRA, Certificate of Origin, FDA approval, MSDS analyses, and Shariah Compliant status. Our products, in particular our oils and wood chips, are also independently graded by experts in the field at Thailand’s Prince of Songkla University. By strategically owning and operating state of the art, environmentally friendly mega factories, fuelled by our own plantations and other smaller growers, we are now able to deliver the end products that the market actually demands, in terms of quality, consistency and price.”
The factory is operational and open for business, with new production lines being commissioned in the coming months. The visitor centre will be opening in April 2015, along with a wholesale factory shop and Agarwood product display library.
Source: Asia Plantation Capital
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