The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation Limited (APFDCL) was awarded the CAPEXIL Chemical and Allied Export Promotion Council of India) Export Excellence Award for export of Red Sanders in the ply wood and allied products category for 2015-16, and 2016-17. APFDCL is among the top four companies that have been given the award.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Head of Forest Force and VC and MD of APFDCL, N. Prateep Kumar said the APFDCL has won two CAPEXIL awards for its exports performance during the successive years beginning with 2015, when it had exported red sanders wood, earning a total foreign exchange of $204.156 million. CAPEXIL, a non-profit making organization was set up in March 1958 by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, to promote export of chemical and allied products from India.
Huge global demand
Red sanders ( Pterocarpus santalinus ) species is found in abundance in Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Nellore districts in Andhra Pradesh and has a huge global demand for its heart wood. Besides being used in furniture-making, it is also known to be used an ingredient in treating various digestive disorders.
The AP Forest Department has put a stop to rampant smuggling of red sanders by a series of measures and began to market them through e-auction.
Future plans
The APFDCL has been exporting red sanders found in the Seshachalam Hills for the last 25 years, and during the last five years, earned a total foreign exchange amounting to ₹ 1,340 crore. The corporation also has plans for exporting value-added products of red sanders in the coming years.
“The APFDCL has exported over 5,353 tonnes of red sanders wood in long form earning a total foreign exchange worth $204.156 million. Further, we have plans to convert red sanders wood into value added products for exporting to China, Hong Kong, Europe and other countries besides promoting the use of Red Sanders products in the domestic market,” said Executive Director, APFDCL, B.N.N. Murthy, who, along with OSD T. Appi Reddy had played a key role in the achievement.
