1

Assignment: 02

Report on Agricultural Minister’s proposal to legalize the export of the

inner bark of “Gyrinops Walla”

By Eranda Rajapathirana (MSc/ENM/13/07)

ENS 521: Environment Management and Sustainable Development

2

Content

Page No

1. Introduction - Gyrinops Walla 3

2. Importance of Gyrinops Walla 4-5

3. Consequences / problems attached to Gyrinops Walla 6-7

4. Current policies & regulations to overcome the problems 8

5. Recommendations for Agriculture Minister’s proposal 9-10

6. Reference 11

3

1. Introduction:

Gyrinops Walla, commonly known as Walla Patta in Sinhala, grows freely in Sri Lanka, with a

small population also growing in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India. Recently, it came to the stage that this

tree produces a resinous substance called Agarwood, once infected by fungi. Agarwood makes a high

price in other countries (Middle East, France, Italy etc.) as it is used in the production of perfumes.

Gyrinops Walla was traditionally used for medicinal purposes. People would make use of the bark when

casting broken bones, hence, its common name of “Walla Patta”. This plant was first recorded in Galle

in 1780 by J.G. Konig.

According to some studies, this tree mainly grows in forests and in some home gardens of the

lowland and intermediate wet zone areas in Sri Lanka.

4

2. Importance of Gyrinops Walla:

Gyrinops Walla was traditionally used for medicinal purposes. People would make use of the

bark when casting broken bones known as “patta baedeema,” and as a medicine for toothaches.

Not long ago, Walla Patta was found to produce a resinous substance called “Agarwood”, which

is used as a base for the world’s most expensive perfumes. No one in Sri Lanka knew Walla Patta

had this valuable property until recently. The high demand occurred regarding the Walla Patta

plant is due to cosmetics and medicines produced by the Agarwood of the plant. They are very

expensive in the world market. Because of its alcohol-free status, Agarwood oil and perfumes

are highly prized by Middle Easterners.

At the moment Walla Patta is an endangered plant

This plant grows freely in Sri Lanka, with a small population also growing in Tamil Nadu and

Kerala in India

This will be a good source of income from our rich biodiversity, and will be more

environmentally sustainable than growing tea in the wet zone.

5

The findings of ongoing researches will definitely contribute to the national economy of Sri

Lanka by providing chemical and technological information that are required for large and

medium scale Walla Patta plantation development in the country. In addition, the results will

benefit the villagers living in the low country wet zone of Sri Lanka by providing the correct

information on planting methods, resin formation and harvesting times of this precious tree

currently exploited without having a proper knowledge on its value.

By artificially injecting fungus into the stem of this plant, rapid economic advantages can be

obtained. Other countries have conducted researches on production of Agarwood through this

method.

6

3. Consequences / problems attached to Gyrinops Walla:

Because of the recently discovered monetary value of Walla Patta trees, combined with the

general lack of knowledge, unnecessary chopping of the tree has increased. Most people don’t

understand healthy trees have no commercial value, but cut them down, hoping to sell them

anyhow.

The tree is not in the endangered situation, but the threat still exists, as word has spread that

Walla Patta is valuable, because very few people aware about the Agarwood.

We need to take immediate steps to protect this plant. But government bodies work slower

than most; by the time, smugglers have taken the plant out of the country. The first raid on

Walla Patta plant was done by the Department of Forest Conservation at Kalawana, Ratnapura,

on 27 August 2012, and parts of the plant were seized. There are clues that this smuggling took

place for a long period. It will not only cause loosing of a large amount of foreign exchange to

the country, and the ability of obtaining the patent for those species inherited to Sri Lanka.

7

Lack of research done to find about the planting materials, medium of planting, and extraction

methods. International specialists say they don’t know if Walla Patta can actually produce

Agarwood, most of them haven’t even seen the plant. Even scientists and law enforcement

officials didn’t know about this, but the smugglers knew about it.

Walla Patta is not protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.

Some misled foreigners paid certain villagers for infected Walla Patta trees. They think Rs. 1000

is good money for a tree that’s not even healthy. But world market prices for Agarwood goes up

to US$ 60,000 (about Rs 7 million) per kilo for first grade products and US$ 25,000 (about Rs 2.9

million) per kilo for third grade products.

8

4. Current policies & regulations to overcome the problems:

Under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Ordinance, removal of trees or forest materials

from the forests is a punishable offence. Therefore, collecting, removal or damaging forest

materials without a permit is an illegal act according to 6 (a) and 6 (c) articles of the amended

Forest Conservation Ordinance No 65 of 2009 regarding conservative forests, and according to

the code of orders No 01 stated in the gazette No 68/14 issued on 26.12.1979 regarding

reserved forests, and according to the code of rules No 01 of the above gazette, regarding other

forests.

Regarding transportation within Sri Lanka, action should be taken according to gazette No

1548/29 dated 09.05.2008 and No 1762/1 dated 11/06/2012 published under the article 24(1)

of the Forest Conservation Ordinance. Possessing, administrating or keeping unpermitted wood

is also a punishable offence. Accordingly, action can be taken according to gazette No 879/7

dated 13.07.1995 and No 971/4 dated 18/04/1997 published under the article 36(1) of the

Forest Conservation Ordinance.

Due to its high removal from the environment, this has been inserted to the second schedule of

the Convention on International Trade of Endangered wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Exporting wood, seeds, and other forest materials without a permit is illegal according to the

code of orders stated in the gazette No 1161/6 issued on 05.12.2000, which is published under

the article 24(1) of the Forest Conservation Ordinance.

9

5. Recommendations for Agriculture Minister’s proposal :

I am completely agreed with the Agricultural minister’s proposal to legalize the export of the

inner bark of Walla Patta for commercial purposes under following conditions. Because this is a Fortune

we inherited from Mother Nature. We should use this limited resource to get financial benefits to our

economy and also this will be more environmentally sustainable than growing tea in the wet zone. This

plant can be easily grown as a cash crop (large scale) or a garden crop (small and medium scale) like

Cinnamon.

a) Need to do a comprehensive research to find about the planting materials, medium of

planting, and extraction methods of this plant. The findings should benefit the villagers

living in the low country wet zone of Sri Lanka by providing the correct information on

planting methods, resin formation and harvesting times of this precious tree currently

exploited without having a proper knowledge on its value said. This will make sure this

plant add more economical benefits to the villagers.

Small scale businesses like “Lassana Midula” sell plants of Walla Patta

b) Claim patent rights for Walla Patta Agarwood before other countries do, like what

happened to Salacia reticulate commonly known as “Kothala himbutu”. In order to do

so first of all we need to stop smuggling.

c) Government agencies should speed up their work and need to make sure they bring

appropriate rules and regulation to use this plant in a more sustainable manner and to

prevent over exploitation. Ex: License, Trade restrictions

10

d) There should be a mechanism to make sure these benefits of exporting are passed to

Small and medium scale entrepreneurs, villagers as well as the government.

e) Government agencies must find ways to export this as an end product rather than

exporting as a raw material. This will make sure we get the maximum benefits of this

plant. Ex: Starting or facilitating to start our own perfume factories which used Walla

Patta Agarwood as the base.

Some companies already started making financial returns out of this plant. One thing for

sure this plant will have a significant impact or influence on Social, Political, Economic and

Natural environment in future of Sri Lanka.

11

6. Reference:

1. Hooker, W.J (1837) Icones plantarum, : Cambridge University Press.

2. Rodrigo, M () Wallapatta agarwood the new illegal million-rupee racket , Available at:

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/140216/news/wallapatta-agarwood-the-new-illegal-million-rupee-

racket-85990.html (Accessed: 10th March 2013).

3. Liyanage, T () Walla patta plant; its use and the current status, Available at:

http://www.news.lk/features/political/8480-walla-patta-plant-its-use-and-the-current-status

(Accessed: 10th March 2014).

4. Lu, M () Gyrinops walla: a tree to look out for , Available at: http://www.ceylontoday.lk/35-

13290-news-detail-gyrinops-walla-a-tree-to-look-out-for.html (Accessed: 10th March 2014).

5. Lankaonglobe () Walla patta - the wonder wood of sri lanka researched , Available at:

http://lankaonglobe.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/walla-patta-the-wonder-wood-of-sri-lanka-

researched/ (Accessed: 10th March 2014).

6. Dharmadasa, R.M., et al. "Standardization of Gyrinops Walla Gaertn. (Thymalaeaceae): Newly

Discovered, Fragrant Industrial Potential, Endemic Plant from Sri Lanka." World Journal of

Agricultural Research 1.6 (2013): 101-103.

7. Available at: www.divaina.lk (Accessed: 4th March 2014).