Good question. Short answer: there is no truly unified ASEAN or GCC‑wide grading standard for agarwood chips, oils, or distillates — the market remains quite fragmented. But I can give you a detailed overview of current grading practices, common benchmarks, and where the gaps lie, plus relevant regional insights. (If you like, I can also suggest “best practice” grading criteria that your business could adopt as de facto standards.)
Current Landscape: Grading Standards for Agarwood (ASEAN & GCC)
1. Lack of Global or Regional Standardization
- According to CITES documentation, there is no globally accepted biochemical grading standard. Grading is still largely subjective, based on sensory evaluation (smell, color, density) rather than uniform chemical metrics. (CITES)
- Different countries use different grading systems — for example: Malaysia reportedly has a 12-grade system; Indonesia, a 9-grade system. (ResearchGate)
- The Agarwood Quality Grading standard in China (LY/T 3223‑2020) is one of the few formalized national standards. (Chenxiangzhimei)
2. Key Criteria Used in Grading
Despite the lack of unified standards, most grading systems (in both ASEAN and GCC markets) rely on a few common parameters:
| Factor | How It’s Used to Grade |
|---|---|
| Resin Content / Saturation | Highly resinous wood is more valuable. Customers often test “sinking grade” by putting chips in water — more resin = higher density. (Erythagarwood) Some scientific studies also measure density directly: e.g., a “density-metric” grading linked to higher ether extract content. (BSMIAB) |
| Aroma / Scent Profile | Aroma is very important in GCC markets. According to a report on UAE agarwood trade, quality is strongly associated with “aroma when the wood chips are burnt.” (TRAFFIC) Oil grading often depends on color, smell, and “fixative” strength. (UTM Press Journals) |
| Chemical Composition | Some more sophisticated players use GC‑MS or similar analyses to characterize oil. (CITES) Research shows differences in chemical profiles (sesquiterpenes, chromones) among oil from different “grades” of agarwood. (ResearchGate) |
| Physical Appearance / Color / Wood Structure | Darker, richly streaked wood (resin-impregnated) is preferred. (CIFOR-ICRAF) Also, moisture content (≤10%) is used in some formal grading standards. (Chenxiangzhimei) |
| Oil Yield | In some trade and technical documents, oil yield (e.g., % extractable oil) is used as a benchmark. According to Malaysian‐UAE discussions, a benchmark for distillation is ~0.3–0.7% oil yield from raw wood. |
3. Examples of Regional / Company Grading Schemes
- HAGA (Vietnam):
- For chips: They have “Luxury,” “Deluxe,” and “Premium” grades, distinguished partly by thickness (0.5 mm, 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm) and resin content. (H. Gagarwood)
- For oil: They use codes like “S Luxury,” “A Deluxe,” and “A2 Deluxe,” with distinctions in color (dark brown) and density. (H. Gagarwood)
- UAE / GCC Market (Raw Wood):
- Based on interviews, UAE agarwood vendors rate quality using aroma when burnt, country of origin, and resin content. (TRAFFIC)
- China (Industrial Standard LY/T 3223‑2020):
- Defines 5 quality grades of raw agarwood: Special Grade, Grade 1 to Grade 4. (Chenxiangzhimei)
- Uses a combination of sensory evaluation (appearance, odor, taste) and ethanol extract content(chromones, sesquiterpenoids). (Chenxiangzhimei)
- Specifies test methods, sampling protocols, and marking. (Chenxiangzhimei)
4. Challenges & Risks in the Current Grading Systems
- Subjectivity: Much of the grading relies on human sensory panels, which can vary due to fatigue, bias, or lack of standard training. (UTM Press Journals)
- Lack of Reproducibility: Without chemical or objective metrics, consistency across batches is hard to guarantee. (ResearchGate)
- Adulteration Risk: High-grade “sinking” wood can be faked by manipulating density, or cheap oils can be blended to mimic more expensive profiles. (Scribd)
- Regulatory Gaps: Because no regional (ASEAN / GCC) regulatory body enforces a harmonized quality standard, most grading remains at the discretion of traders and companies.
Key Take‑Homes for Grading Best Practices (for ASEAN / GCC Context)
Given the current landscape, here are recommended benchmarks or best practices that businesses can consider adopting to ensure high trust and consistent quality:
- Adopt a Multi‑Parameter Grading System
- Combine sensory evaluation (appearance, aroma) + chemical profiling (GC-MS) + density / resin content.
- Use objective metrics (e.g., % ethanol extract or GC‑MS marker compounds) as part of grade definitions.
- Standardize Sampling & Testing Protocols
- Follow a protocol for sampling (e.g., how many chips per batch, where from the same tree).
- Define moisture limits (e.g., ≤10%) to prevent quality deterioration.
- Use a certified testing lab for chemical profiling.
- Labeling & Traceability
- For export to GCC or ASEAN markets, include: grade, origin, species, density / resin content, test reports (if available).
- Consider CITES documentation and/or sustainability certification to boost buyer confidence.
- Transparent Grading Tiers
- Define clear grade names (e.g., “Super Sinking,” “Double Super,” “AAA Oil”) with associated specifications.
- Publish or share your grading criteria with buyers, so they understand what they’re paying for.
- Periodic Re‑Evaluation
- As part of quality control, periodically re-evaluate inventory using your grading metrics to ensure consistency.
- Track changes over time (especially for aged chips or stored inventory).