Masala adds to agarbathi industry's fragrance

Bengaluru: All India Agarbathi Manufacturers Association (AIAMA) is happy that the coronavirus pandemic has significantly revived the interest among people in nostalgic experiences including Masala Agarbathis. As per the association, the demand for Masala Agarbathis has grown by 25% in the last one year. Masala Agarbathi is a traditional variety that uses resins, spices, herbs and other natural materials and is made through hand rolling. The growing demand is not just restricted to metros as even in rural areas the demand for Masala Agarbathis has been rising steadily. As per AIAMA even in the international market the interest in Masala Agarbathis has increased by 30%. The United States of America is one of the leading markets that has embraced the fragrance of Masala Agarbathi in a big way.

Elaborating on the growing market for Masala Agarbathi, Arjun Ranga, President, AIAMA, said, "Indian Agarbathi is the fragrant ambassador of our nation and Masala Agarbathi has become the change makers. Masala Agarbathi releases a very unique yet soothing fragrance and this seems to have caught the attention of consumers. In fact, Masala Agarbathi 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 Agarbathis has also helped in reviving the traditional form of Agarbathi making. Masala Agarbathi requires skill with a know-how of hand rolling. The growing interest has helped in encouraging more numbers of 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 Agarbathis and the industry is helping them with gainful employment." added Arjun Ranga

With compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 3.6% the Indian Agarbathi has been growing significantly over the years. The current retail value of the industry is around Rs 7,500 crore and with a revenue of Rs 1000 crore it 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. The growing acceptance of different varieties of Agarbathis will enable the industry to scale its growth.