Traditional Agarbathies back in vogue – AIAMA
Mumbai: The All India Agarbathi Manufacturers Association has revived the interest in nostalgic experiences including Masala Agarbathies significantly.
As per the association, the demand for Masala Agarbathies has grown by 25% in the last year. Masala Agarbathi is a traditional variety of Agarbathi that uses resins, spices, herbs, and other natural materials and is made through a hand rolling. The traction is not just restricted to metros even in rural areas the demand for Masala Agarbathies has been growing steadily. As per AIAMA even in the international market, the interest in Masala Agarbathies has increased by 30%. The United States of America is one of the leading markets that has embraced the fragrance of Masala Agarbathies in a big way.
Elaborating on the growing market for Masala Agarbathies, Mr. Arjun Ranga- President, AIAMA, said, “Indian Agarbathi is the fragrant ambassador of our Nation and Masala Agarbathies have become the change-makers. Masala Agarbathies releases a very unique yet soothing fragrance and this seems to have caught the attention of consumers. In fact, Masala Agarbathies has helped the industry to move beyond prayer. It has helped the industry to tap into new customer bases and increase the market penetration, both domestically as well as internationally.”
“The growing demand for Masala Agarbathies has also helped in reviving the traditional form of Agarbathi making. Masala Agarbathi requires skilled talent with the know-how of hand rolling. The growing interest has helped in encouraging more people to learn the skill and join the industry. Today more than 25,000 women from across the heartlands of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat are engaged in making Masala Agarbathies and the industry is helping them with gainful employment.” added Mr. Arjun Ranga
With a CAGR of around 3.6%, the Indian Agarbathi has been growing significantly over the years. The current retail value of the industry is around INR 7,500 crores and with a revenue of INR 1000 crores, the industry is also one of the leading exporters in the county. Despite COVID-induced challenges like lockdowns as well as logistic hurdles the industry has managed to maintain its sales and has been instrumental in providing gainful employment to the industry. The growing acceptance of different varieties of Agarbathieswill enables the industry to scale its growth.
