Agarwood, aloeswood or gharuwood is a fragrant dark resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small carvings. It is formed in the heartwood of aquilaria trees when they become infected with a type of mould (Phialophora parasitica). Prior to infection, the heartwood is odourless, relatively light and pale coloured; however, as the infection progresses, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin, called aloes or agar (not to be confused with the edible, algae-derived agar) as well as gaharu, jinko, oud, or oodh (not to be confused with bukhoor), in response to the attack, which results in a very dense, dark, resin embedded heartwood.
Agarwood oil, often referred to as oud oil and eagleswood oil, is a resinous, fragrant and highly valuable heartwood. Agarwood oil is more popularly called as Aloeswood oil. The essential oil is derived from the heartwood of the agarwood tree when they become infected with a type of mould. Post infection, the tree produces a dark aromatic resin, called aloes or agar. There are a number of popular species but typically aquilaria malaccensis, aquilaria agallocha or aquilaria crassna are used to make the oil.
Agarwood oil market is segmented on the basis of the end use which includes retail and industrial. The retail segment is further sub-segmented as distribution channel which includes online stores, hypermarkets/supermarkets, specialized drug stores, and convenience stores.
The plantation of agarwood has been introduced and re-introduced in countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, etc. which will catalyze the revenue created from the global agarwood essential oil market. Techniques have also been implemented to improve stimulation of agarwood production for enhanced quality of the oil produced which will favor the market growth and expansion.
