The Red Sanders and its Future

Pterocarpus santalinus, commonly known as red sanders, produces a highly ornamental wood which is much in demand in foreign countries, particularly Japan. The figured wood of best quality fetches an average price of Rs. 3,000/- per ton, but the nonfigured wood obtains only about Rs. 300/- per ton. Red Sanders has a localised distribution in dry and hilly areas. Fires and thefts are common. Red sanders forests are worked under simple coppice system. To preserve the locality factors and obtain the marketable timber, these forests should be worked under shelterwood system.