Indian Sandalwood ( Santalum album) is precious and unique since time immemorial. Taking cognizance of the relentlessly increasing wide gap in the supply and demand, the Forest Rights Act was amended in 2001 to promote cultivation of the Sandalwood in private Lands.
Sandalwood is the costliest wood on earth with great healing and rejuvenating properties because of which it has been an integral part of our rich culture and heritage since Vedic period. Starting from religious rituals to beauty & health care it touches almost every aspect of our lives through fragrances, Handicrafts, skincare products, General Medicines, Herbal Medicines etc, thus keeping it in eternally increasing demand with the emergence of time worldwide.
Over many decades India has been long deprived of this ever precious cash crop though India is one among the prime and best countries to grow Sandalwood. Blessed with the best climatic condition Sandalwood oil content is highest in the trees grown in our Country especially in Karnataka. for which there is always a never ending demand inside and outside the country.
The unique tree yields Lakhs & Crores of rupees over a period of 15 to 20 years if nourished properly with necessary host plants and provided adequate security after 7 years. India is one among the only six countries among 198 countries of the world which has the favorable soil and climatic condition to grow sandalwood and was once a huge supplier to the rest of the World. However in the recent past the situation became such that India had to import Sandalwood as the natural resources from the forests has had almost come to an extinct.