Agarwood Global, Inc. Takes Philippine Agarwood to the UAE, Eyes Gulf Market Partnerships

Agarwood Global, Inc. Takes Philippine Agarwood to the UAE, Eyes Gulf Market Partnerships

Manila, Philippines — Agarwood Global Inc. (AGI), operator of the largest agarwood plantation in the Philippines, has completed a landmark trip to the United Arab Emirates from July 8–17, 2026, opening doors with some of the region's most influential names in the fragrance industry — and positioning Philippine agarwood as a significant player in one of the world's most demanding luxury markets.

The delegation, led by AGI President Jorge Dioneda, Business Development Head Jacob Lee, and International Trade Head Edwin Glindro, held a packed schedule of meetings in the UAE aimed at assessing market potential, meeting buyers and partners, and building institutional relationships for Philippine agarwood products.

A Seat at the Table with Industry Leaders

Among those AGI met with were several of the UAE's most established perfume houses, whose interest signals real traction for Philippine-grown resin in a market long dominated by Southeast Asian and South Asian suppliers.

The trip also included institutional meetings with Ambassador Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Mr. Vichael D. Roaring, Trade Commissioner and Commercial Counselor of the Department of Trade and Industry – Dubai, Dubai Chambers, and the Philippine Business Council, as well as a series of conversations with agarwood production experts — talks that AGI says have sharpened its strategic direction going forward.

AGI President Jorge Dioneda and delegation members meet with Ambassador Alfonso Ferdinand A. Ver of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi during the company's UAE market visit.

AGI representatives meet with Mr. Vichael D. Roaring, Trade Commissioner and Commercial Counselor of the Department of Trade and Industry – Dubai, to discuss market opportunities for Philippine agarwood.

AGI delegation members at Dubai Chambers as part of institutional meetings during the company's UAE trip.

AGI representatives with officials of the Philippine Business Council in the UAE.

"This trip confirms what we have long believed: global demand for agarwood is enormous, with billions of dollars waiting to be unlocked. The Philippines can be a significant player in that huge market — manufacturers and traders themselves tell us our agarwood is among the finest in the world — and AGI is ready to lead the way," said Dioneda.

Demand Is There — and Growing

The UAE meetings confirmed that there is genuine, active demand for Philippine agarwood products, and buyers consider them high quality. Several of the companies AGI met with have expressed interest in continuing the discussions — including visiting AGI's Philippine plantations directly to explore possible partnerships. AGI currently has around 18,000 mature agarwood trees.

"We can make the Philippines the agarwood capital. Given the potential and reputation of the quality of our agarwood resin, AGI intends to facilitate the planting of millions of Aquilaria trees to meet the global demand in the coming years," said Dioneda. "In fact, we already have about four million seedlings in our nurseries and plantations,” he added.

What's Next

With institutional networks now established across trade, diplomatic, and private-sector channels in the UAE, AGI is positioning itself to convert this early interest into concrete partnerships — starting with the anticipated plantation visits from its new Gulf-based links.

For AGI, the trip has established that Philippine agarwood is ready to be evaluated on the same terms as the world's most respected sources: not where it comes from, but the quality of what it produces.