The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has notified a fresh amendment to the export policy of Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) under Notification S.O. 5032(E). The notification amends policy condition 3 of Chapter 44 in Schedule-II of the ITC (HS) 2022, making the export of Red Sanders wood and roots from private or cultivated land a restricted activity.
Under the revised norms, exporters must apply for a Restricted Export Authorisation, supported by a Certificate of Origin issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). The certificate must confirm legal procurement and provide details of physical stock verification. All export authorizations will be reviewed on merit, considering conditions like quantity ceilings under CITES regulations.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), based on CITES recommendations, has fixed an annual export quota of 10 metric tonnes for Karnataka and 100 metric tonnes for Gujarat. These limits will apply from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2027, for artificially propagated Red Sanders. Export of wild specimens remains prohibited.