Agarwood has indeed become popular in recent years. The good side of the hype is that more people know about it; the bad side is that the good and the bad are mixed together. As practitioners, we want to say a few honest words.
That the industry is getting attention means there is more room for investment in standards, plantations, and research. Wubaiyi has built nearly ten thousand mu of plantations in Hainan and other places and cultivated the improved variety "Qinan No. 1"—this too is following this positive force to build solid foundations. But hype also brings restlessness: concepts fly everywhere, and prices are labeled at random.
First, "story over substance"—telling legends about production areas louder than the aroma itself; second, "label premium"—sinking grade and qinan(kyara) are routinely marked up; third, "passing off inferior goods as fine"—more hidden than outright fakes. What consumers most need to train is to return to the trio of oil lines, aroma, and source.
We do not belittle peers, but we insist on stating our own case clearly: honest ingredients, traceable sources, and daring to give gram weights. For the industry to last, it relies on trust, not rhetoric. Wubaiyi's ¥9.9 public-welfare appraisal is also meant to contribute a little to the "transparency" of the entire market.
The hotter the industry gets, the more someone needs to slow down and thicken the foundations. We are willing to be that "slow" one.
Tell us your specific situation clearly, and we will give corresponding judgments and suggestions—sourcing, personal use, and appraisal are all accepted.
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