Competitive agarwood export pricing usually starts at a minimum order quantity of 5 kg for chips and 1 kg for oud oil, with sharper unit rates unlocking at 25 kg, 50 kg and 100 kg tiers. Larger, single-grade lots, a 30-50% deposit and clear incoterms move you toward the low end of each grade band.
Minimum order quantity is not one number in agarwood — it is a lever. Because plantation chips run a wide, grade-dependent band of USD 500-7,000 per kg (as of 2026, indicative, final quote confirms grade and scope) and oud oil runs USD 30,000-80,000 per kg, the volume you commit changes where inside that band your unit price lands. Below are the tiers, terms and incoterms that actually move the needle.
What counts as a minimum order for agarwood chips and oil?
For chips, a workable trial MOQ is around 5 kg — enough to test grade, aroma and sinking behaviour before you scale. Oud oil, priced by weight and volume, usually opens at 1 kg or, for small buyers, a few hundred millilitres. These entry quantities let you verify quality, but they sit at the higher end of the per-kilo band because the seller cannot spread packing, documentation and CITES processing across much volume.
Retail buyer guides show the same logic at consumer scale: Indonesian chips quote at roughly USD 5-15 per 10 g for low grade (C/D), USD 20-60 per 10 g for mid grade (B/A), and USD 100-300+ per 10 g for premium Super A, with natural oud oil at USD 200-1,000+ per ml. Export lots earn a discount to those retail figures — but only once volume and grade consistency justify it.
How do volume tiers change your unit price?
The single biggest driver of a competitive quote is committing to one grade at a meaningful weight. Mixed-grade, small lots force the supplier to hand-sort and re-test, which shows up in the price. If you are ready to scale past a trial, a single-grade bulk agarwood chips order at 50 kg or above is where most exporters see the clearest per-kilo improvement.
| Tier | Indicative order weight | Where your unit price lands | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample / trial | 1-5 kg chips (or 100-500 ml oil) | Top of the band | New buyer testing grade & aroma |
| Standard | 25 kg single grade | Upper-middle | Boutique perfumer, incense house |
| Volume | 50 kg single grade | Mid-band | Established distributor |
| Bulk | 100 kg+ single grade | Toward the low end of the band | Wholesale importer, Gulf/China trade |
These are directional, not fixed quotes: grade decides the absolute number, MOQ decides where in the grade’s range you sit. A 100 kg lot of the same grade almost always beats four separate 25 kg lots on unit price, because it consolidates testing, packing and one permit cycle.
How do deposit and balance terms work?
Agarwood is high-value and grade-sensitive, so payment is staged. A deposit secures the lot and funds grading, documentation and permit preparation; the balance is settled once the shipment is verified and cleared for dispatch. Faster, cleaner terms reduce the supplier’s risk and support a keener price.
| Term | Typical structure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | 30-50% on order confirmation | Locks the grade, funds permit and lab work |
| Balance | 50-70% before shipment / on documents | Released after grade verification |
| Grade re-check | Buyer or third-party inspection | Confirms density, resin veining, aroma |
| Currency | Usually USD | Keeps the band comparable across markets |
A quote is typically returned within 24 business hours once grade, weight and destination are confirmed. The final figure always depends on the verified grade of the specific lot — no serious exporter prices agarwood sight-unseen.
Which incoterms give you the most competitive pricing?
Incoterms decide who carries cost and risk across the journey, and they change the headline unit price. For a like-for-like comparison between suppliers, always ask which incoterm the quote uses.
- EXW (Ex Works): Lowest quoted unit price, but you arrange export clearance, freight and import. Best only if you have a freight forwarder who understands CITES paperwork.
- FOB (Free On Board): The common middle ground — the seller handles export clearance and delivery to the vessel; you take over freight and import. Usually the fairest basis for comparing agarwood quotes.
- CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight): Higher headline price because freight and insurance are bundled in; convenient for buyers who want a landed-to-port number.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): Highest quoted price; the seller carries almost everything to your door. Rare in agarwood because import-country CITES rules vary.
A larger MOQ on FOB terms, single grade, with a prompt deposit, is the combination that most reliably pushes a quote toward the low end of the band.
Why does one CITES permit apply per shipment?
Every legal agarwood export shipment stands on its own paperwork. Most Aquilaria and Gyrinops species sit under CITES Appendix II, so international trade is allowed but regulated: legal export requires a CITES export permit plus a BKSDA recommendation, and is subject to a Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) confirming the trade will not harm wild populations. Indonesia’s 2024 NDF set a wild Aquilaria malaccensis quota of 24,110 kg.
CITES documents distinguish source code W (wild) from P (plantation or artificially propagated). Plantation material is generally easier to permit and more sustainable, which is why we source plantation-first and never facilitate illegal wild-harvest. Moving processed agarwood between Indonesian regions also needs a wood transport permit — the Surat Angkutan Kayu Olahan (SAKO) — from the local forest authority.
Because the permit, quota draw and NDF apply per consignment, splitting one large order into many small shipments multiplies documentation and can erode your competitive pricing. Consolidating into fewer, larger, single-grade shipments is usually cheaper per kilo. This site is a sourcing broker and information hub, not a permit authority: we never sell permit certainty or guarantee customs clearance, and you should always confirm current requirements with the CITES Management Authority (Indonesia) and your import country.
How do grade and MOQ work together?
Grade sets the ceiling; MOQ sets your position under it. Indonesian chips are commonly described across about nine grades, with the key tiers Super A, Super B, Super C and Sabak. Grading rests on three objective criteria — density (tested by water immersion, where sinking indicates higher resin), resin saturation (black-brown “tiger-stripe” veining rather than a uniform plastic-like black), and aromatic intensity (hot-plate or steam testing). Higher resin content correlates with stronger fragrance, higher density and a higher grade.
Decide your grade first, then use volume to negotiate within that grade’s range. A committed 100 kg lot of Super C will often beat a scattered set of small Super C orders on unit price, while chasing Super A at trial volume keeps you near the top of the band. Note that these grading systems are industry conventions that vary by region and tradition, not an official Indonesian national standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum order quantity to get wholesale agarwood pricing?
Yes. Trial lots of around 5 kg of chips let you verify grade, but true wholesale unit rates typically begin at 50 kg or more of a single grade. Committing to one grade at volume lets the exporter consolidate grading, packing and a single permit cycle, which pushes your price toward the low end of the band.
Can I mix grades in one order and still get competitive pricing?
You can, but it usually costs more per kilo. Mixed-grade lots force hand-sorting and separate testing, and each grade still has to be documented for the CITES permit. Ordering a larger, single-grade lot is the cleaner route to a sharp unit price; keep mixed lots for sampling several grades before you scale.
Does splitting a large order into several shipments lower the total cost?
Rarely. Because a CITES export permit, quota draw and Non-Detriment Finding apply per shipment, each consignment repeats documentation, inspection and freight minimums. Consolidating into fewer, larger, single-grade shipments is normally cheaper per kilo. Always confirm current permit requirements with the CITES Management Authority (Indonesia) and your import country before planning shipment splits.