Last updated: 2026-05-27 | Author: Master Chen Bao, Head Distiller, SilkwayOud | third-generation Maoming agarwood family
Quick answer: Maoming, a coastal prefecture in Guangdong, has been cultivating Aquilaria sinensis under organized programs since 1985. Today the region holds roughly 60% of China's CITES-registered agarwood production area and supplies most genuine Chinese oud sold legally worldwide.
Every product in the Silkway Oud collection begins in the same place: the red-soil hills of Dianbai District, Maoming, Guangdong Province, China. This is where our Aquilaria sinensis trees grow, where they have been cultivated for over 40 years, and where the story of Chinese agarwood's modern renaissance begins.
Why Maoming?
Guangdong Province sits at almost exactly the same latitude as the wild agarwood forests of Myanmar and northern Vietnam. The combination of subtropical heat, high humidity, and the acidic laterite soils of the Pearl River Delta hinterland creates conditions that Aquilaria sinensis has evolved over millennia to thrive in.
Dianbai, a coastal district of Maoming, emerged as the epicentre of Chinese agarwood cultivation in the 1980s, when the first planned plantations replaced agricultural land. Today, Maoming accounts for the majority of China's legal Aquilaria sinensis production, and the region's farmers have accumulated a depth of cultivation knowledge that cannot be replicated overnight.
Forty Years of Growing Knowledge
Agarwood is not a quick crop. A newly planted Aquilaria sinensis sapling requires 3-5 years before inoculation is appropriate. After inoculation - the controlled introduction of fungal infection that triggers resin production - the tree requires a minimum of 5 additional years before chips of acceptable quality can be harvested. The finest material, sinking-grade heartwood, requires 15-25 years of resin accumulation.
A farm with 40 years of history has trees at every stage of this cycle. It has the oldest, most resin-saturated material. It has the operational knowledge to inoculate at the right time, harvest at the right moment, and process chips without degrading the delicate resin profile.
This is what you buy when you purchase Silkway Oud: not just agarwood, but four decades of accumulated expertise.
Sustainable Farming - What It Actually Means
The global agarwood trade has a troubled history. Wild agarwood trees across Southeast Asia have been logged to near-extinction, driving the entire Aquilaria genus onto the CITES Appendix II protected list. Maoming's cultivated approach is fundamentally different:
- Plantation stock, not wild harvest - every tree we use was planted by human hands. No wild trees are disturbed.
- Controlled inoculation - rather than injuring trees randomly, our agronomists use controlled, scientifically managed inoculation techniques that maximise resin quality while maintaining tree health.
- Selective harvesting - we harvest individual sections of trees rather than felling entire trees, allowing the remaining tree to continue producing resin.
- Replanting programme - for every mature tree harvested, seedlings are already in the ground to replace it. The plantation grows, not shrinks.
- CITES certification - all exports are fully documented under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, providing end-to-end traceability for buyers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and beyond.
From the Farm to Your Majlis
At Silkway Oud, we manage every step of the supply chain: cultivation, harvesting, processing, quality grading, and international fulfilment. This means:
- No middlemen inflating prices
- No blending of lower-quality material from unknown sources
- No uncertainty about origin - every product is traceable to a specific batch from our Dianbai plantation
- Faster response to quality questions - we can answer questions about any product because we know exactly where it came from
Explore the full range of Maoming agarwood products - oud chips and incense, pure oud oils, agarwood misbaha and tasbih, and handcrafted bracelets. All farm-direct, all CITES certified, all from 40 years of Maoming heritage.
The 40-year arc
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1985 | First state-supported Aquilaria nursery in Diancheng district |
| 1992 | Resin induction techniques formalized |
| 1995 | Aquilaria listed under CITES Appendix II |
| 2003 | First Maoming distillery certified for export |
| 2014 | Geographic Indication application filed |
| 2021 | Maoming Agarwood GI status granted |
| 2024 | 70+ certified plantations, 4,200+ farmers |
"We treat each tree like a 25-year project, not a crop. The trees that get wounded in year 8 give you nothing until year 18. That patience is the only reason Maoming oud has the warm honey note collectors recognize."
- Master Chen Bao, third-generation Maoming distiller
Frequently asked questions
Is all Chinese oud from Maoming?
No. Hainan and Fujian also produce, but Maoming has the largest CITES-registered area and the longest continuous cultivation.
How is Maoming oud different from wild oud?
Wild oud is irregular in resin quality and now nearly impossible to source legally. Cultivated Maoming oud is more consistent and fully traceable.
Can I visit a Maoming plantation?
SilkwayOud runs spring and autumn visits for verified collectors. Contact us for the next window.
How long does it take to grow agarwood?
Commercial-grade resin needs 15-25 years from planting. Sinking-grade typically needs 25+ years of patient cultivation.
Related reading: CITES Certification | What Is Aquilaria sinensis? | The Silk Road Story