The cash-starved Andhra Pradesh government has decided to sell the confiscated red sanders in an auction through global tenders as the forest commodity has high demand in the international market.
“The Centre has given permission to the AP government for sale of red sanders. Accordingly, we will issue a notification for sale of 4,000 tons of red sanders through global e-tenders in the first phase,” AP Forest Minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy told mediapersons here this afternoon. Red sanders is widely grown in Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts of AP but its sale is controlled by the Government of India.
In the last few years, the Centre did not clear sale of red sanders, though there is huge demand in China and other overseas markets, resulting in illegal exports. In the absence of an official sale route, a wide smuggling network started thriving and has become a major law and order problem in Chittoor and other districts. Over 8,500 tons of seized red sanders is readily available for sale in the international market.
Based on the State government’s request, the Centre permitted sale of 4,000 tons of red sanders in the first phase. (NSS)
