Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has suggested to the State government to consider setting up State-owned entrepreneurial venture for making value added products from red sanders wood as it would not only fetch revenue to the exchequer but also generate employment by encouraging local artisans.
Preliminary discussions were held on the idea mooted by the Forest Department, official sources told The Hindu .
The sources said there was lot of potential for marketing value added products of red sanders within India and it should be tapped in addition to exporting the confiscated logs to other countries. “We can’t sell everything abroad, it is a valuable resource. There is market in India. We are not giving enough publicity,” the sources added.
The Ayurveda industry in the country, particularly from Kerala, uses red sanders powder and paste in cosmetics. Also a group of local artisans in Settigunta and Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh make toys, flower vases, water cups and other products from the material given to them by Forest department through Lepakshi emporium.
However, the sources said there was a need to make value added products from red sanders on a big scale as in China where the material was being used extensively for making furniture and interiors.
The Chinese use specially designed equipment for wood carving because of its toughness. The Chinese also believe that red sanders wood has strong aphrodisiac properties and tablets made from a chemical extracted from red sanders were being sold in that country.
The price of each tablet ranging from $ 25 to $ 50, the sources said.
Claiming that red sanders also has strong anti-diabetic properties, the sources said it was high time that value added products were made and sold in India. In view restrictions on private individuals to make value products, Andhra Pradesh government should set up State-owned saw mill or timber depot and import machinery from China and other countries.
Referring to the prospect of generating employment, the sources said once the machinery was in place, scores of artisans could be engaged in making various products and also furniture. “Although the furniture would be quite expensive, the affluent in India could afford it”, the sources maintained.
With about 11,000 metric tonnes of red sanders logs confiscated from smugglers during the last 10 years, it has been estimated that 20,000-25,000 metric tonnes of the precious wood might have been smuggled out of India during the last two decades. “It is the second highest smuggled timber in the world after Malaysian red wood and African timber,” the sources added.
