Assam Ships 123 kg of Agarwood Chips to Dubai: A Working CITES-Compliant Trade Corridor

Why 123 kilograms matters

According to the Economic Times, on 26 October 2026 Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of India's Assam state, presided over a flag-off ceremony in Guwahati for a consignment of agarwood chips destined for Dubai. The 123 kg shipment was organised by MJI Group under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, with material sourced from Golaghat district. It was reported as the second time Assam has dispatched chips abroad in this manner. In weight terms 123 kg is small; what it shows is that a tightly regulated cross-border supply chain can actually be operated.

Under CITES Appendix II, legality outweighs rarity

Agarwood is produced by resin-bearing trees such as Aquilaria species, all listed under Appendix II of CITES. Appendix II does not ban trade: it requires each commercial shipment to carry an export permit from the exporting country's management authority, confirming legal origin and non-detriment to wild populations. Alongside botanic and chemical verification, documentation is the single most common failure point at customs. Press coverage notes that Assam is seeking recognition for its international airport as an authorised export point and has formed a task force spanning agriculture, industry and forest departments — signalling institutionalisation rather than a one-off photo opportunity.

The producing base: ~120 million trees, ~50,000 growers

Citing the Chief Minister, reporting states Assam hosts roughly 120 million agarwood trees — about 81% of India's total — supporting around 50,000 grower families. Converting Gulf fragrance demand into stable farm income depends on two things: a predictable cadence of licensed shipments, and payment reaching growers directly. MJI Group is reported to use direct benefit transfer for purchases. The broader lesson is that competitiveness in agarwood is shifting from simply holding good material to demonstrating that it is legal, controlled and traceable.

(This is industry observation and popular-science summary, not investment advice. Buy agarwood through legal channels with traceable, testable sources.)