Government restricts Agar oil, Agarwood chips exports

The government on Monday restricted the export of Agar oil and Agarwood chips and powder. Their exports were free earlier. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade notified an annual export quota of 25,000 kg for Agarwood chips and powder, and 1,500 kg for Agar oil.

The DGFT said that applications for an export license obtained for these products obtained from artificially propagated sources (cultivated origin outside forest areas) should be accompanied by attested copies of certificate of origin issued by forest officers along with certificate of current position of stocks procured.

As per the notification, an undertaking is also required from the firm that items proposed to be exported has been harvested from plantation following all conditions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of wild fauna and flora for their harvesting.