Assam Ships 123 kg of Agarwood Chips to Dubai as CITES Compliance Becomes a Market Passport

123 kg of Agarwood Chips Head to Dubai

According to Nation Press, the Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, that 123 kg of agarwood chips from the state are bound for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Agarwood is the dark, resin-saturated heartwood that forms inside Aquilaria trees when they respond to injury or infection; because the resin develops only under specific conditions, supply is inherently scarce. Prized in luxury perfumery, traditional medicine and incense across the Middle East and East Asia, it is often called the "Wood of the Gods" and ranks among the world's most expensive natural raw materials. The UAE is one of the largest global markets for oud — the Arabic term for agarwood — and also functions as a re-export hub, meaning chips arriving in Dubai can reach buyers from Saudi Arabia to Japan in a single onward leg, which is why Dubai was chosen as the first destination.

The CITES Appendix II Threshold

The reports stress that wild Aquilaria is listed under CITES Appendix II, so any cross-border trade requires official permits and documentation proving the product was legally sourced, together with compliance with annual export quotas. This regulatory layer both protects the species and, in the high-scrutiny Gulf market, acts as a credibility endorsement for exporters: analysts note that each shipment cleared through customs builds a regulatory track record that unlocks larger future orders. From an industry perspective, cultivated plantations are becoming the main route to meeting international demand while reducing pressure on wild populations; suppliers able to show CITES permits, species identification and inoculation records can also command a premium in niche perfumery markets in Europe and North America. Public data indicates India now counts close to 150 million agarwood trees, about 90% of them in the northeastern states, and has established an agarwood export promotion mechanism.

Industry Observation

For Chinese market participants, the key takeaway is that "compliance is competitiveness": whether exporting or importing, CITES permits, origin traceability documents and third-party testing are unavoidable. Claims built on "wild old material" or "century-old agarwood" without any traceability evidence carry very high risk. This article is industry observation and educational compilation; it does not constitute any trading or investment advice. Purchase agarwood only through legal channels and look for traceable, testable sources.