Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre.
Credit: DH File Photo
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Thursday promised to further simplify the rules for the cultivation, felling, and transport of sandalwood.
Sandalwood currently enjoys special protection in Karnataka owing to its high value.
In 2022, the government introduced a policy allowing growers to sell the wood in the open market, hoping to promote its cultivation. However, Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited continues to import sandalwood from outside the state and the country to meet the demand.
Khandre said that the policy would be simplified further and an order would be issued in this regard. He said that farmers cultivating sandalwood would benefit from the new rules. “At the same time, the department will also plant more sandalwood trees,” he added.