Harvesting & Processing

Supply Chain | Cultivation | Inoculation | Harvesting | Manufacturing | Distribution

This step involves the careful extraction of resin-infused wood and its conversion into marketable products such as chips, powder, and essential oil. Timing, technique, and post-harvest care are crucial to maximize quality and value.

1. Harvest Timing

  • Ideal Harvest Age: Typically 8–10 years, or 18–30 months after inoculation for resin-mature trees.
  • Indicators of Readiness:
    • Visible black or dark brown discoloration in core wood.
    • Strong, sweet aroma when bark is scratched or core is drilled.
    • Resin test: Burning a sample produces white smoke and rich fragrance.

2. Harvesting Techniques

  • Selective Cutting: Remove only resinous parts to allow remaining tree to recover.
  • Full Trunk Harvesting: Used when resin is widespread or tree is near senescence.
  • Tools Required:
    • Manual: Axe, hand saw, machete.
    • Power: Chainsaw for trunk cutting, coring tools for sampling.

3. Cleaning & Sorting

  • Debarking: Remove outer bark and sapwood.
  • Sorting Grades:
    • Super Grade (Grade A): Dense, fully resin-infused dark wood (sinks in water).
    • Grade B/C: Partially resinous with mixed sapwood and hardwood.
    • White Wood: Non-resinous wood; can be used for incense base or compost.

4. Processing into Marketable Forms

  • Agarwood Chips
    • Cut into uniform pieces (1–5 cm) depending on buyer specs.
    • Air-dry under shade for 1–2 weeks.
    • Store in moisture-proof, pest-free containers.
  • Agarwood Powder
    • Grind lower-grade wood or chip residues.
    • Sieve and package according to fineness (coarse vs. fine powder).
    • Used for incense sticks, cones, or sachets.
  • Essential Oil Extraction
    • Method: Hydro-distillation or Supercritical CO₂ Extraction (preferred for high-purity).
    • Oil Recovery: 1–3% depending on wood quality.
    • Processing Time: 7–10 hours per batch.
    • Post-Processing: Oil settling, filtration, and bottling in amber vials.

5. Quality Testing & Grading

  • Visual Inspection: Color, texture, and density.
  • Burn Test: Aroma, smoke behavior, residue.
  • Lab Analysis (if needed):
    • GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) for compound profiling.
    • Moisture content and contamination check.

6. Packaging & Storage

  • Chips/Powder:
    • Vacuum-sealed or in airtight containers.
    • Stored in dry, dark, cool environments.
  • Oil:
    • Use amber glass bottles with airtight caps.
    • Store in temperature-controlled room (15–25°C) away from direct sunlight.

7. Documentation & Traceability

  • Maintain logs for:
    • Harvest date, tree ID, yield per tree, product grade.
    • Oil extraction data (batch no., yield %, date).
    • Quality reports and buyer feedback.

8. Compliance & Certification

  • Ensure compliance with:
    • DENR/DA permits (harvest, transport, trade).
    • CITES documentation for international trade of Aquilaria products.
    • Organic or fair-trade certification, if applicable.
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