Pioneer in finding direction for Vietnamese Agarwood
We met Mr. Phu one afternoon in Dong Xoai City, Binh Phuoc Province. We accompanied him to visit Aquilaria garden which is being cultivated with TTT exclusive biotechnology. The garden is faintly fragrant with the characteristic aroma of Agarwood, creating a feeling of relaxation. Standing under the shade of Aquilaria tree, we listened to Mr. Phu's stories about his experiences and enthusiasm with Agarwood. This man with a simple appearance is the Vice Chairman and Technical Director of TTT Biological Agarwood Joint Stock Company. He is the one who directly guides each stage of transplanting on the Aquilaria tree from drilling holes, mixing probiotics and filling them into holes. Probiotics will actively stimulate the Aquilaria tree to secrete more resin to create Agarwood. TTT exclusive biotechnology has been researched for more than 30 years and successfully tested in many Aquilaria gardens across the country. This is a chance meeting between Mr. Phu and the monks and nuns in Dong Nai province. Realizing his understanding of agriculture and strong passion for Agarwood, so the two monks decided to amortize this technology for him. Mr. Phu shared that the purpose of this project is to help people, alleviate poverty, and improve socio-economic life according to the wishes of the two monks.
In the past, those who searched for Agarwood in the deep forest faced many difficulties, dangers, and even exchanged their lives. A lot of Aquilaria forest was destroyed and indiscriminately exploited just to get Agarwood. Therefore, when holding the biotechnology, Mr. Nguyen Cong Phu and Mr. Le Van Giang - Board of Directors of TTT Biological Agarwood Joint Stock Company have agreed on a sustainable development strategy with a long-term vision to preserve the Aquilaria forests, expanding and planting new material areas, protecting the environment and stabilizing local social security by creating jobs for people working in the gardens.
TTT exclusive biotechnology turned the tables in Vietnamese Agarwood industry. Therefore, the company encountered many difficulties in the early stages of operation. In particular, the biggest difficulty must be mentioned is convincing people not to cut down the Aquilaria garden but cooperate with the Company to cultivate Agarwood. A few decades ago, the movement to plant Aquilaria trees emerged in many provinces such as Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, Binh Phuoc, Buon Me Thuot, etc. with the hope of changing people's lives. However, if transplanting technology is not applied, the Aquilaria tree will not be able to produce Agarwood. Farmers have to take care of the garden for more than ten years before they can exploit them. Mining value is very low and there is almost no output to the product. The Aquilaria gardens with the hope of changing their lives now become firewood when they only pay about 2 to 3 million per tree. In some places, people were taught how to create Agarwood by methods such as peeling the bark or drilling holes in the tree and then sweeping and pumping chemicals. These methods lead to a high risk of tree death and long-term consequences for the environment and human health.
Because of having lost faith for a long time about the value of Aquilaria tree, expanding the raw material area and cooperating with people was initially very difficult for businesses. With the proven implantation effect after only 3 months, at the place where the probiotics were applied, the wood contaminated with essential oils - or Agarwood (Oud) is formed. Therefore, the difficulties have become more favorable, the faith seems to have returned to the farmers when they saw the effect of transplanting in their gardens. That is the motivation for businesses to implement their long-term and sustainable development strategy.
The arduous journey to bring Agarwood to the world
In order to get the consensus and support of the people, local authorities and partners, TTT has conducted a full market research before operating. In particular, the Board of Directors actively sought out outputs with high commercial value for Agarwood products right from the beginning, the tree was still in the process of transplanting.
Responding to an interview one day in May 2022, after returning from a business trip to the Middle East - the world's largest Agarwood consumer, Mr. Le Van Giang - Chairman and General Director of TTT Biological Agarwood Joint Stock Company said: "Agarwood is sold at a very high price in this market, however, the goal of the business is not simply transplanting to exploit and sell at a high price, but TTT's bigger desire is building and affirming the Vietnamese Agarwood brand in the world market”. When Mr. Giang went to survey at many shops and showroom selling large and small agarwood in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there seemed to be no Vietnamese Agarwood products on sale, no one knew about Agarwood. Although the output of Agarwood in Vietnam is not inferior to India, Malaysia, Cambodia, ect.
Mr. Giang said: “We do not see this as a challenge but rather an opportunity for our business to reach out to the world. The enterprise's desire is to build a National brand of Agarwood and play an important role in the global Agarwood supply chain.
Bringing Agarwood culture to the right value
Talking about the development orientation of TTT, Mr. Giang once again mentioned the spirit of "going upstream" despite difficulties, but the business is still making efforts to implement. If a few decades ago, Agarwood was only known by the elite, today TTT is raising awareness of the value of Agarwood to more people.
In the process of operation, enterprises do not prioritize capital from large investment funds, but instead strengthen project investment cooperation with small investors with low capital. This is not only a process of sharing economic values, but also helping to spread the values of Agarwood - Vietnam's national treasure in terms of culture, spirituality, preserving the most precious things of Vietnam.
Vietnam - a place with excellent natural conditions and open policies of the Party and State to develop the agro-forestry industry. The operating model based on the available resources of TTT is attracting great support from a large number of people and local authorities. Hopefully in the future there will be many businesses that dare to accept difficulties and challenges to get rich in their homeland
by Thuy Duong
