Move over gold and diamonds — the world’s most expensive natural treasure might just be wood. Known as Agarwood, this ultra-rare and fragrant timber can fetch prices as high as ₹1 crore (approximately $120,000) per kilogram, making it more valuable than gold.
Harvested from Aquilaria trees found mainly in Southeast Asia, Agarwood forms only when the tree becomes infected with a specific mold — a rare process that can take years. The infected heartwood develops a dark, resinous core that produces one of the most luxurious and sought-after scents on the planet.
Arab royals, luxury perfume houses, and global collectors are fueling the skyrocketing demand, using Agarwood in everything from exotic perfumes and incense to religious ceremonies and healing rituals.
“This wood is liquid gold for the fragrance industry,” said a leading perfumer in Dubai. “A single tree can make you a millionaire.”
Agarwood’s popularity has soared in the Middle East, particularly among the elite, who use it as a status symbol. Its oil — called Oudh — is used in designer perfumes that sell for thousands of dollars per bottle.
Because only a small percentage of Aquilaria trees produce usable agarwood, the material is both rare and difficult to harvest. With overharvesting and black-market trade threatening its future, many countries have now implemented strict regulations on its cultivation and export.
