NBA Releases Rs 148.8 Million For Red Sanders Conservation

24 Dec 2025 CW Team

With this release, India’s cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 1.43 billion. Of this, more than Rs 1.04 billion has been released to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders conservation and benefit claimers, while over Rs 150 million has been disbursed to states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. Red Sanders, or Pterocarpus santalinus, prized globally for its deep red timber, is endemic to limited pockets of the Eastern Ghats, particularly across districts such as Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.

The benefit-sharing contributions were generated from the auction of 1,115 tonnes of confiscated Red Sanders wood seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and auctioned by central government agencies, including the State Trading Corporation of India, MMTC and PEC. NBA has utilised these funds to support research projects focused on conservation, sustainable use, genetic improvement and value addition, implemented through institutions such as ICFRE-IFGTB, ICFRE-IWST and CSIR-IICB.

Extensive field surveys across Andhra Pradesh’s forest divisions led to the documentation of 1,513 genetic resources with geo-referenced traits and the assessment of over 15,000 standing trees to study variability and reproductive behaviour. Seeds from elite genetic resources were collected for ex situ conservation, alongside ongoing efforts to establish a National Red Sanders Field Gene Bank. Advances were also made in propagation technologies through standardised tissue culture, improved germination techniques and high-success vegetative propagation methods, supported by preliminary Seed Production Area guidelines.

Research outcomes extended to value addition, with the development of products such as soaps, creams, lip care items and wood coatings derived from bark and heartwood. Royalseema RS Soap was trademarked, while Royal Red lipstick met Bureau of Indian Standards specifications, reflecting the successful translation of research into commercial applications by the ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding in Coimbatore.

The initiative reinforces NBA’s commitment to fair and equitable benefit sharing, curbing illegal trade and strengthening collaborative biodiversity governance. By reinvesting ABS proceeds into conservation, scientific innovation and community-linked development, the authority aims to safeguard the ecological, genetic and socio-economic value of Red Sanders for future generations.

The National Biodiversity Authority has released Rs 148.8 million to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department under the Access and Benefit Sharing mechanism to support the protection, conservation, regeneration, research, awareness creation and capacity-building programmes linked to Red Sanders. The disbursement arises from benefit-sharing contributions related to 29 Form-I applications and marks the continuation of NBA’s structured ABS payouts. With this release, India’s cumulative ABS disbursements have crossed Rs 1.43 billion. Of this, more than Rs 1.04 billion has been released to Andhra Pradesh for Red Sanders conservation and benefit claimers, while over Rs 150 million has been disbursed to states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana. Red Sanders, or Pterocarpus santalinus, prized globally for its deep red timber, is endemic to limited pockets of the Eastern Ghats, particularly across districts such as Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Prakasam and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. The benefit-sharing contributions were generated from the auction of 1,115 tonnes of confiscated Red Sanders wood seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and auctioned by central government agencies, including the State Trading Corporation of India, MMTC and PEC. NBA has utilised these funds to support research projects focused on conservation, sustainable use, genetic improvement and value addition, implemented through institutions such as ICFRE-IFGTB, ICFRE-IWST and CSIR-IICB. Extensive field surveys across Andhra Pradesh’s forest divisions led to the documentation of 1,513 genetic resources with geo-referenced traits and the assessment of over 15,000 standing trees to study variability and reproductive behaviour. Seeds from elite genetic resources were collected for ex situ conservation, alongside ongoing efforts to establish a National Red Sanders Field Gene Bank. Advances were also made in propagation technologies through standardised tissue culture, improved germination techniques and high-success vegetative propagation methods, supported by preliminary Seed Production Area guidelines. Research outcomes extended to value addition, with the development of products such as soaps, creams, lip care items and wood coatings derived from bark and heartwood. Royalseema RS Soap was trademarked, while Royal Red lipstick met Bureau of Indian Standards specifications, reflecting the successful translation of research into commercial applications by the ICFRE–Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding in Coimbatore. The initiative reinforces NBA’s commitment to fair and equitable benefit sharing, curbing illegal trade and strengthening collaborative biodiversity governance. By reinvesting ABS proceeds into conservation, scientific innovation and community-linked development, the authority aims to safeguard the ecological, genetic and socio-economic value of Red Sanders for future generations.

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