Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 13 (UNI) In a major policy shift, the Kerala Cabinet has approved a draft bill that will allow sandalwood trees grown on private land to be harvested and sold through the Forest Department, while also introducing provisions for compounding certain forest offences with the approval of courts.
Forest Minister A K Saseendran described the decision as “historic”, saying it would directly benefit farmers and encourage fresh cultivation of sandalwood across the state. “At present, the market price of sandalwood ranges between Rs 4,000 and Rs 7,000 per kilogram, depending on quality. With this bill, landowners will get assured returns and the confidence to plant and protect sandalwood on their property,” he said.
Under the existing law, only dead or dangerous sandalwood trees can be cut, and in many instances where trees were stolen, landowners themselves faced criminal cases under forest regulations. This framework, officials noted, has long acted as a deterrent to sandalwood cultivation. The proposed amendments seek to correct this anomaly and establish a farmer-friendly system.
The Bill makes it clear, however, that sandalwood trees standing on revenue-assigned lands reserved for the government will not be permitted to be cut. In such cases, amendments to land assignment and revenue laws would be required before any change could be implemented.
A key provision in the bill is the option to compound certain forest-related offences with court permission. At present, there is no such mechanism, resulting in prolonged litigation even in minor cases.
The government believes the new provision will ease the burden on courts and enable quicker settlement of disputes without harassing farmers and small offenders.
Officials expressed confidence that the reforms would not only boost the cultivation of sandalwood on private property but also streamline the handling of minor forest offences.
The Cabinet hopes the move will pave the way for a revival of sandalwood farming in Kerala, which has steadily declined due to rigid legal restrictions and fear of prosecution.
