Lok Sabha MP Kriti Singh Debbarma has raised the issue of Tripura’s agarwood industry in Parliament, urging the Centre to simplify export procedures and strengthen support for cultivation, certification, value addition and access to international markets.

Raising the matter through Unstarred Question No. 3667, Debbarma sought details from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on measures being taken to promote the agarwood sector and address challenges faced by farmers and entrepreneurs.

She highlighted the industry’s potential to generate rural employment, increase exports and contribute to sustainable economic growth in Tripura and the Northeast. Debbarma stressed the need for scientific inoculation techniques, streamlined certification and simpler transit procedures to help growers and traders benefit from the high-value crop.

Responding in Parliament, Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said the Centre had notified an annual export quota for Tripura covering 22,500 kg of agarwood chips, powder and sawdust, along with 1,047 kg of agarwood oil, for the financial years 2024-25 to 2026-27.

The quota was fixed following a Non-Detriment Finding study aimed at ensuring that agarwood trade remains sustainable.

The Ministry said representations from the Tripura government and stakeholders seeking rationalisation of transit and certification procedures had been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, agarwood-producing states, exporters and industry representatives.

To improve ease of doing business, the DGFT has introduced a digital module on its Trade Connect ePlatform for issuing Certificates of Origin, with the objective of improving traceability and reducing procedural delays.

Technical assistance for scientific inoculation is also being provided by the Rain Forest Research Institute in Jorhat. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is supporting sustainable cultivation and value addition under the PM-DevINE programme, including through the Agarwood Cluster Development Project implemented by NERAMAC.

Debbarma welcomed the measures announced by the Centre but said she would continue raising issues aimed at creating new economic opportunities for Tripura.

She said the agarwood sector has significant potential to transform rural livelihoods while strengthening sustainable development and export opportunities across the region.