‍Ay Kang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., with a century-long heritage of centipede oil, led by executives Zeng Shizhe and Wu Yingying and their team, traveled to Malaysia on November 9 to participate in the grand opening of the Agartana Orchard under Heartana Global Berhad, while also launching a cross-border research and cultural exchange program.

The Agartana Agarwood Orchard is currently the largest agarwood plantation in Malaysia, cultivating over 16,000 rare Ky Nam (Aquilariac Crassna) agarwood trees—the most revered and rare variety in the agarwood world, often hailed as the “King of Agarwood.” The resin formation process takes 5 to 6 years. Agartana employs natural oxidation and sustainable ecological techniques, allowing trees to form resin without damage, maintaining the philosophy of “coexistence of ecology and fragrance.”

According to the orchard team, agarwood harvesting can begin as early as the fifth year. The team will assist tree owners in harvesting and preserving resinous branches, while the main trunks continue to grow and root deeply in the earth—symbolizing “fragrance endures, life continues.”

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Zeng Shizhe (center), Wu Yingying (left), and Jeremy Khor, co-founder of Heartana Global Berhad (right), together wielded shovels to plant an agarwood tree.
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The grand opening ceremony was attended by a distinguished gathering of political and business leaders, corporate representatives, and media from various sectors. Zeng Shizhe and Wu Yingying, representing Ay Kang Pharmaceutical, joined Heartana Global Berhad co-founders Jeremy Khor and Jessica Tan, along with Antah Pharma Executive Directors Tunku Mohd Alaudin and Tunku Alia Munah, to sign a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), officially launching cross-border research and exchange initiatives.

“Agarwood is not only a gift of nature, but also the art of time,” said Wu Yingying. She emphasized that both Ay Kang Pharmaceutical and Heartana Group believe the true essence of heritage lies not in possession, but in the commitment to preservation. Every agarwood tree in the orchard represents the continuation of love and life. Following the MOU, both parties plan to actively explore agarwood applications across health and wellness, emotional regulation, traditional Chinese medicine, and aromatherapy, while promoting related product development and sharing research data.

Jessica Tan, founder of Heartana Group, also highlighted that “agarwood is a gift that witnesses the passage of time,” explaining that the name “Agartana” combines Agar (agarwood) and Tana (earth, life), symbolizing “rooted in the earth, fragrance passed through generations.” The brand’s core concept, the “Guardian Tree,” represents each agarwood tree as a blessing and continuation of life. Future initiatives include agarwood cultural experiences, tree adoption programs, premium fragrance and wellness products, agarwood exhibitions, and philanthropic art collaborations—bringing agarwood culture closer to people’s everyday lives.

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The grand opening of the Agartana Orchard concluded successfully and will carry forward its mission to promote and expand agarwood culture.

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Beyond the signing of the MOU, another highlight of the opening ceremony was the establishment of a partnership between Heartana Group and UTAR (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman), launching a collaborative program for agarwood research and cultural promotion. High-quality agarwood produced by the Agartana Agarwood Orchard was donated as research material, marking a new chapter in cross-disciplinary agarwood studies. After visiting the orchard, Zeng Shizhe and Wu Yingying both expressed their admiration and pledged that Ay Kang Pharmaceutical will deepen research on agarwood in functional foods and wellness products, turning its fragrance into a new force for promoting health.

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🔗 Sources: https://www.thehubnews.net/archives/567591

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