Agarwood Prices - Harga Gaharu
Agarwood Grade (Gred Gaharu) Origin (Tempat Asal) Price (Harga) Remark (Nota)
Supergrade Gaharu Sarawak RM9,000/kg Jun 2006, source: Malaysian-German Forestry Education Project
Grade A West Malaysia RM1,000/kg 1985, source: FRIM/UPM
Grade A West Malaysia RM14,000/kg 2008, source: FRIM/UPM
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Gaharu Oil For Prince William Perfume
Gaharu and the British royal family don't have anything in common until recently. But with Prince William wedding coming very soon, famous perfumer Kim Weisswange has been tasked to create a new royal fragrances specially for Prince William. And one of the ingredient is Agarwood or Gaharu.
Gaharu dan keluarga raja Inggris tidak memiliki kesamaan apa pun sampai saat ini. Tetapi dengan pernikahan Pangeran William, parfumis terkenal Kim Weisswange telah ditugaskan untuk membuat wewangian baru khusus untuk Pangeran William. Dan salah satu bahan yang digunakan adalah minyak Gaharu.
Read the article below.
Wedding perfumes fit for a princess and a prince
Kim Weisswange counts the likes of Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Vivienne Westwood and even Britain's Prince Charles among her illustrious clients - but the Hamburg perfumer admits she was still completely shocked to be asked to create a fragrance as a present for the wedding of Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton.
"My heart nearly stopped beating when we got the call from the royal family," the 47-year-old says with a smile.
Weisswange, who was born in South Africa before moving to Germany, has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has decided on a clear and powerful scent characteristic of English lavender for Prince William.
Kate's perfume, on the other hand, will be warm and sensual, combining rose and magnolia essence for a more restrained fragrance.
"The scents should underline the pair's character and personality," says Weisswange.
The perfumer came to the British royal family's attention when Prince Charles noticed the scent she created for the wedding of another member of the nobility.
An order was subsequently received from a member of the British royal family for three fragrances on the occasion of the Queen's 80th birthday in 2006.
The family member, who Weisswange refuses to name, has now commissioned fragrances for William and Kate's wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29.
Wedding scents are a speciality of Weisswange, who has also created perfumes for Flavio Briatore and Elisabetta Gregoraci.
It's important that the fragrances not only fit each person individually but that they are in harmony with each other, she explains.
Every detail of the upcoming wedding is being kept a closely guarded secret but as the perfumes are presents from a family member, Weisswange is allowed to discuss her creations.
Buckingham Palace, meanwhile, refused to confirm whether the perfumes would be used on the day, adding that it was unlikely as there is no official commission for royal wedding perfumes.
Weisswange went to university in the northern German city of Kiel before moving to Los Angeles in the 1980s where she trained to become a perfumer.
But it was while working as a make-up artist for Glenn Close on the set of The House of Spirits that her reputation for creating unique scents began to grow in Hollywood.
Although she has many elite clients and recently sold one perfume to a Chinese businessman for 50,000 euros (72,000 dollars), Weisswange also makes more affordable scents, including an eau de toilette that retails at 145 euros a bottle.
Weisswange operates with Hamburg company Capital Cosmetics and has been working on the royal fragrances for around seven weeks, mixing over 90 ingredients together in the laboratory.
The scents are appropriately named William and Catherine and come in respectively sleek black and white atomisers.
Prince William's scent is a combination of Norfolk lavender and agarwood, with the top-note affected by bergamot.
"It is dynamic and clear, a sporty and direct fragrance," says Weisswange.
Kate's is a softer rose and magnolia perfume with the rose essence used in memory of Princess Diana.
Not surprisingly, Weisswange refuses to reveal how much the royal family member is paying for the two fragrances.
"But I have to admit that in this instance it's more about the honour than the money," she says.
-- Courtesy of TimesLIVE. The contents was extracted from TimesLIVE archives dated Apr 2011.
Gaharu dan keluarga raja Inggris tidak memiliki kesamaan apa pun sampai saat ini. Tetapi dengan pernikahan Pangeran William, parfumis terkenal Kim Weisswange telah ditugaskan untuk membuat wewangian baru khusus untuk Pangeran William. Dan salah satu bahan yang digunakan adalah minyak Gaharu.
Read the article below.
Wedding perfumes fit for a princess and a prince
Kim Weisswange counts the likes of Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Vivienne Westwood and even Britain's Prince Charles among her illustrious clients - but the Hamburg perfumer admits she was still completely shocked to be asked to create a fragrance as a present for the wedding of Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton.
"My heart nearly stopped beating when we got the call from the royal family," the 47-year-old says with a smile.
Weisswange, who was born in South Africa before moving to Germany, has over 20 years of experience in the industry and has decided on a clear and powerful scent characteristic of English lavender for Prince William.
Kate's perfume, on the other hand, will be warm and sensual, combining rose and magnolia essence for a more restrained fragrance.
"The scents should underline the pair's character and personality," says Weisswange.
The perfumer came to the British royal family's attention when Prince Charles noticed the scent she created for the wedding of another member of the nobility.
An order was subsequently received from a member of the British royal family for three fragrances on the occasion of the Queen's 80th birthday in 2006.
The family member, who Weisswange refuses to name, has now commissioned fragrances for William and Kate's wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29.
Wedding scents are a speciality of Weisswange, who has also created perfumes for Flavio Briatore and Elisabetta Gregoraci.
It's important that the fragrances not only fit each person individually but that they are in harmony with each other, she explains.
Every detail of the upcoming wedding is being kept a closely guarded secret but as the perfumes are presents from a family member, Weisswange is allowed to discuss her creations.
Buckingham Palace, meanwhile, refused to confirm whether the perfumes would be used on the day, adding that it was unlikely as there is no official commission for royal wedding perfumes.
Weisswange went to university in the northern German city of Kiel before moving to Los Angeles in the 1980s where she trained to become a perfumer.
But it was while working as a make-up artist for Glenn Close on the set of The House of Spirits that her reputation for creating unique scents began to grow in Hollywood.
Although she has many elite clients and recently sold one perfume to a Chinese businessman for 50,000 euros (72,000 dollars), Weisswange also makes more affordable scents, including an eau de toilette that retails at 145 euros a bottle.
Weisswange operates with Hamburg company Capital Cosmetics and has been working on the royal fragrances for around seven weeks, mixing over 90 ingredients together in the laboratory.
The scents are appropriately named William and Catherine and come in respectively sleek black and white atomisers.
Prince William's scent is a combination of Norfolk lavender and agarwood, with the top-note affected by bergamot.
"It is dynamic and clear, a sporty and direct fragrance," says Weisswange.
Kate's is a softer rose and magnolia perfume with the rose essence used in memory of Princess Diana.
Not surprisingly, Weisswange refuses to reveal how much the royal family member is paying for the two fragrances.
"But I have to admit that in this instance it's more about the honour than the money," she says.
-- Courtesy of TimesLIVE. The contents was extracted from TimesLIVE archives dated Apr 2011.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Gaharu, the newest green gold?
Agarwood is perhaps the most prized non-timber forest product traded in the international market. The establishment of forest species producing agarwood is gaining attention at national and local levels as the resources from the natural forest are depleting over the years.
Planters see this type of plantation as green ‘gold mine’ of the future, if there is a breakthrough in inoculation technology. Agarwood (also known as gaharu, aloes wood, eagle wood, oud, chen-xiang, kalambak among other common names) is a fragrant wood that has been traded for a long time for its use in religious, medicinal and aromatic preparation.
Planters see this type of plantation as green ‘gold mine’ of the future, if there is a breakthrough in inoculation technology. Agarwood (also known as gaharu, aloes wood, eagle wood, oud, chen-xiang, kalambak among other common names) is a fragrant wood that has been traded for a long time for its use in religious, medicinal and aromatic preparation.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Gaharu in Penang
GEORGE TOWN: “Gaharu man” Gurdial Singh has a mission in life protecting his playground by exposing poachers who chop down the precious agarwood trees.
“People told me that it is dangerous to be a whistleblower. But I can't sit still while poachers steal the wood,” he said.
The 52-year-old veteran Hash runner has been regularly tipping The Star off about the poachers, believed to be foreigners, since February.
“I felt swift action will only be taken after the matter is highlighted in the media. I'm not doing it for publicity,” he said.
Last month, he tipped off The Star and state Forestry Department after noticing that five trees had been chopped in a jungle near Taman Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah.
The department detained two Cambodian men and recovered gaharu wood estimated to be worth between RM100,000 and RM200,000.
Gaharu is used for medicine and perfume and fetches a handsome prize in the Middle East.
“My wife was initially upset that I had gone to the media. I want my two children and all children to grow up knowing the importance of the trees,” he said.
Gurdial, a factory general manager, said his “playground” was the forest as he has been blazing jungle trails with the Penang Hash House Harriers for more than two decades.
He has done hundreds of runs through forests in China, Hong Kong, Britain, Australia and Indonesia.
“Penang has the best hill trails. My favourite are the hills in Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
He started noticing that a certain type of tree was being chopped all over the island since 2010.
Knowing the local forests well, Gurdial knew felling was being carried out illegally on state land.
“At the time, I didn't know that it was the prized agarwood trees but I sensed something fishy.
“It wasn't until I stumbled upon the felling near the Penang Botanic Gardens last year that I realised the value of these trees and why they were being chopped,” he said.
The department formed two teams to track down those responsible for poaching in state forest reserves.
These days, the Hash network of about 80 runners are also on high alert for agarwood poachers.
“People told me that it is dangerous to be a whistleblower. But I can't sit still while poachers steal the wood,” he said.
The 52-year-old veteran Hash runner has been regularly tipping The Star off about the poachers, believed to be foreigners, since February.
“I felt swift action will only be taken after the matter is highlighted in the media. I'm not doing it for publicity,” he said.
Last month, he tipped off The Star and state Forestry Department after noticing that five trees had been chopped in a jungle near Taman Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah.
The department detained two Cambodian men and recovered gaharu wood estimated to be worth between RM100,000 and RM200,000.
Gaharu is used for medicine and perfume and fetches a handsome prize in the Middle East.
“My wife was initially upset that I had gone to the media. I want my two children and all children to grow up knowing the importance of the trees,” he said.
Gurdial, a factory general manager, said his “playground” was the forest as he has been blazing jungle trails with the Penang Hash House Harriers for more than two decades.
He has done hundreds of runs through forests in China, Hong Kong, Britain, Australia and Indonesia.
“Penang has the best hill trails. My favourite are the hills in Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
He started noticing that a certain type of tree was being chopped all over the island since 2010.
Knowing the local forests well, Gurdial knew felling was being carried out illegally on state land.
“At the time, I didn't know that it was the prized agarwood trees but I sensed something fishy.
“It wasn't until I stumbled upon the felling near the Penang Botanic Gardens last year that I realised the value of these trees and why they were being chopped,” he said.
The department formed two teams to track down those responsible for poaching in state forest reserves.
These days, the Hash network of about 80 runners are also on high alert for agarwood poachers.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Gaharu trees near Penang Botanicals Garden
GEORGE TOWN: “Gaharu man” Gurdial Singh has a mission in life protecting his playground by exposing poachers who chop down the precious agarwood trees.
“People told me that it is dangerous to be a whistleblower. But I can't sit still while poachers steal the wood,” he said.
The 52-year-old veteran Hash runner has been regularly tipping The Star off about the poachers, believed to be foreigners, since February.
“I felt swift action will only be taken after the matter is highlighted in the media. I'm not doing it for publicity,” he said.
Last month, he tipped off The Star and state Forestry Department after noticing that five trees had been chopped in a jungle near Taman Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah.
The department detained two Cambodian men and recovered gaharu wood estimated to be worth between RM100,000 and RM200,000.
Gaharu is used for medicine and perfume and fetches a handsome prize in the Middle East.
“My wife was initially upset that I had gone to the media. I want my two children and all children to grow up knowing the importance of the trees,” he said.
Gurdial, a factory general manager, said his “playground” was the forest as he has been blazing jungle trails with the Penang Hash House Harriers for more than two decades.
He has done hundreds of runs through forests in China, Hong Kong, Britain, Australia and Indonesia.
“Penang has the best hill trails. My favourite are the hills in Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
He started noticing that a certain type of tree was being chopped all over the island since 2010.
Knowing the local forests well, Gurdial knew felling was being carried out illegally on state land.
“At the time, I didn't know that it was the prized agarwood trees but I sensed something fishy.
“It wasn't until I stumbled upon the felling near the Penang Botanic Gardens last year that I realised the value of these trees and why they were being chopped,” he said.
The department formed two teams to track down those responsible for poaching in state forest reserves.
These days, the Hash network of about 80 runners are also on high alert for agarwood poachers.
“People told me that it is dangerous to be a whistleblower. But I can't sit still while poachers steal the wood,” he said.
The 52-year-old veteran Hash runner has been regularly tipping The Star off about the poachers, believed to be foreigners, since February.
“I felt swift action will only be taken after the matter is highlighted in the media. I'm not doing it for publicity,” he said.
Last month, he tipped off The Star and state Forestry Department after noticing that five trees had been chopped in a jungle near Taman Lembah Permai in Tanjung Bungah.
The department detained two Cambodian men and recovered gaharu wood estimated to be worth between RM100,000 and RM200,000.
Gaharu is used for medicine and perfume and fetches a handsome prize in the Middle East.
“My wife was initially upset that I had gone to the media. I want my two children and all children to grow up knowing the importance of the trees,” he said.
Gurdial, a factory general manager, said his “playground” was the forest as he has been blazing jungle trails with the Penang Hash House Harriers for more than two decades.
He has done hundreds of runs through forests in China, Hong Kong, Britain, Australia and Indonesia.
“Penang has the best hill trails. My favourite are the hills in Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
He started noticing that a certain type of tree was being chopped all over the island since 2010.
Knowing the local forests well, Gurdial knew felling was being carried out illegally on state land.
“At the time, I didn't know that it was the prized agarwood trees but I sensed something fishy.
“It wasn't until I stumbled upon the felling near the Penang Botanic Gardens last year that I realised the value of these trees and why they were being chopped,” he said.
The department formed two teams to track down those responsible for poaching in state forest reserves.
These days, the Hash network of about 80 runners are also on high alert for agarwood poachers.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Experience in Agarwood Production in Malaysia
A view of the gaharu plantation
AT a gaharu (agarwood) plantation owned by Gaharu Technologies Sdn Bhd in Gopeng, Perak, tourists come by the hundreds in chartered buses every day.
The 120 ha Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng is the latest tourist attraction in Perak, and on hand to welcome the tourists personally most of the time is its owner David Ho Kwan Meng, who also owns Gaharu Technologies Sdn Bhd.
As he enjoys the good business brought by the visitors who pay RM10 each to tour his plantation besides buying the various gaharu products he produces and sells, Ho is grateful to two particular persons who had made it all possible - his Standard Four teacher, Pang Tau Siew and the generous Japanese man who gave him 200 special hybrid gaharu seedlings to plant.
Pang, who came from China, inspired young Ho to appreciate gaharu trees by telling him exotic stories about the agarwood and its value to the Chinese emperors.
The Japanese man gave Ho the special hybrid agarwood which became the mother trees for his plantation.
“I met the old man in 1992 while doing heavy machinery business.My supplier from Japan recommended me to him.
He was already 88 years old then.He came by taxi and brought the seedlings with him,” said Ho who also owns SSL Heavy Machinery Sdn Bhd.
Ho was overwhelmed when he saw the gaharu seedlings.
Immediately, he thought of his old Standard Four teacher, Mr Pang at SJK Jelapang in Kampung Jelapang, Ipoh and his stories about the Chinese emperors and agarwood.
“ I can still remember Mr Pang’s car plate number.I was a very quiet boy who listened when he talked.He was always telling us the history of China because he came from China,” said Ho.
Throughout the interview with New Sarawak Tribune, Ho did not name the Japanese man.But he said the man’s ancestors worked for the Chinese emperors long ago and that they lived in Akita, a prefecture in northern Japan after migrating from China.
Ho said in 1992, the Japanese man had at first approached public companies in Malaysia with his 200 trees.
However, although the CEOs of the companies liked the idea of planting gaharu trees for economic returns, their ideas were not accepted by their board members, accountants or auditors.
Public companies were keen on making fast money.They could not wait 15 years for the trees, he pointed out.
Ho said he met the Japanese man many times before the latter gave him the gaharu plants with three conditions.
“First, I can only plant the seeds after 15 years.Secondly, I cannot plant rubber, oil palms or other trees with the agarwood.
“Thirdly, the seedlings have to be planted with 100 per cent organic methods.So, I use earthworms to fertilise my trees.
“I was told if I did not follow the conditions, the raw materials that I would be sending to Japan would be rejected,” explained Ho.
He said he “controlled” the earthworms by using enzymes made from garlic and lemon grass.
AT a gaharu (agarwood) plantation owned by Gaharu Technologies Sdn Bhd in Gopeng, Perak, tourists come by the hundreds in chartered buses every day.
The 120 ha Gaharu Tea Valley Gopeng is the latest tourist attraction in Perak, and on hand to welcome the tourists personally most of the time is its owner David Ho Kwan Meng, who also owns Gaharu Technologies Sdn Bhd.
As he enjoys the good business brought by the visitors who pay RM10 each to tour his plantation besides buying the various gaharu products he produces and sells, Ho is grateful to two particular persons who had made it all possible - his Standard Four teacher, Pang Tau Siew and the generous Japanese man who gave him 200 special hybrid gaharu seedlings to plant.
Pang, who came from China, inspired young Ho to appreciate gaharu trees by telling him exotic stories about the agarwood and its value to the Chinese emperors.
The Japanese man gave Ho the special hybrid agarwood which became the mother trees for his plantation.
“I met the old man in 1992 while doing heavy machinery business.My supplier from Japan recommended me to him.
He was already 88 years old then.He came by taxi and brought the seedlings with him,” said Ho who also owns SSL Heavy Machinery Sdn Bhd.
Ho was overwhelmed when he saw the gaharu seedlings.
Immediately, he thought of his old Standard Four teacher, Mr Pang at SJK Jelapang in Kampung Jelapang, Ipoh and his stories about the Chinese emperors and agarwood.
“ I can still remember Mr Pang’s car plate number.I was a very quiet boy who listened when he talked.He was always telling us the history of China because he came from China,” said Ho.
Throughout the interview with New Sarawak Tribune, Ho did not name the Japanese man.But he said the man’s ancestors worked for the Chinese emperors long ago and that they lived in Akita, a prefecture in northern Japan after migrating from China.
Ho said in 1992, the Japanese man had at first approached public companies in Malaysia with his 200 trees.
However, although the CEOs of the companies liked the idea of planting gaharu trees for economic returns, their ideas were not accepted by their board members, accountants or auditors.
Public companies were keen on making fast money.They could not wait 15 years for the trees, he pointed out.
Ho said he met the Japanese man many times before the latter gave him the gaharu plants with three conditions.
“First, I can only plant the seeds after 15 years.Secondly, I cannot plant rubber, oil palms or other trees with the agarwood.
“Thirdly, the seedlings have to be planted with 100 per cent organic methods.So, I use earthworms to fertilise my trees.
“I was told if I did not follow the conditions, the raw materials that I would be sending to Japan would be rejected,” explained Ho.
He said he “controlled” the earthworms by using enzymes made from garlic and lemon grass.
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