Koraput seeks boost in sandalwood tree stock
Satyanarayan Pattnaik | TNN | Mar 1, 2019, 04:24 ISTKoraput: Worried over the decreasing number of sandalwood trees and the presence of the timber mafia, the Koraput administration, in association with the Jeypore forest division, is on a mission to increase the stock of these trees in the district.
With funds from special central assistance (SCA), the forest department has raised as many as 40,000 saplings in its Jeypore and Borigumma nurseries.
“Once the saplings grow, they will be planted on the premises of government offices and private and government educational institutions with secure boundaries. We don’t want sandalwood smugglers to get to them,” said Aswin Kumar Kar, the divisional forest officer (Jeypore).
The officer said the felling of sandalwood trees by smugglers was rampant in the district; consequently, the number of such trees in the district has dwindled.
An official said the project would not only help increase the sandalwood tree stock in the district, but, with government norms for the sale of sandalwood trees being relaxed, farmers would be motivated to undertaking sandalwood plantation. “Earlier, growers were compelled to sell their sandalwood trees to the forest department. Now, they can trade with any government-recognised agency,” the officer said.
An official source said sandalwood trees grew with minimum maintenance and there was a high demand for them in the national market. It would thus be profitable for farmers to grow such trees, he added.
The climatic condition of the district is conducive for the cultivation of sandalwood trees and they are found in large numbers in the forests of Nandapur, Padwa, Lamataput, Ramagiri, Borigumma, Koraput and Jeypore.
In October 2018, forest officials had seized 388kg of sandalwood and arrested two persons in Padwa.
With funds from special central assistance (SCA), the forest department has raised as many as 40,000 saplings in its Jeypore and Borigumma nurseries.
“Once the saplings grow, they will be planted on the premises of government offices and private and government educational institutions with secure boundaries. We don’t want sandalwood smugglers to get to them,” said Aswin Kumar Kar, the divisional forest officer (Jeypore).
The officer said the felling of sandalwood trees by smugglers was rampant in the district; consequently, the number of such trees in the district has dwindled.
An official said the project would not only help increase the sandalwood tree stock in the district, but, with government norms for the sale of sandalwood trees being relaxed, farmers would be motivated to undertaking sandalwood plantation. “Earlier, growers were compelled to sell their sandalwood trees to the forest department. Now, they can trade with any government-recognised agency,” the officer said.
An official source said sandalwood trees grew with minimum maintenance and there was a high demand for them in the national market. It would thus be profitable for farmers to grow such trees, he added.
The climatic condition of the district is conducive for the cultivation of sandalwood trees and they are found in large numbers in the forests of Nandapur, Padwa, Lamataput, Ramagiri, Borigumma, Koraput and Jeypore.
In October 2018, forest officials had seized 388kg of sandalwood and arrested two persons in Padwa.
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