Legal Status of Red Sandalwood Farming
Cultivation on private farmland is permitted
In Andhra Pradesh, growing red sandalwood on private patta land is permitted under the state’s agroforestry framework. What remains closely regulated is what happens at the end: felling, transit, and sale of the timber require Forest Department permissions, and international trade is governed by CITES Appendix II export controls.
What this means for an investor
- You may legally own farmland planted with red sandalwood, with registered sale deeds in your name.
- Harvest is not automatic — it follows the permission process applicable at harvest time.
- Documented, plantation-grown timber is the legal route to market; undocumented wild timber is contraband.
Our compliance posture
Every project maintains registration, survey, and plantation records precisely so that the eventual permission process is clean. You can inspect these under our Verify Before You Invest checklist. Regulations can change over a 12-year horizon — that is a genuine risk we list openly on the risks page, and independent legal advice is always recommended.
Questions about legality?
Talk to our team or book a site visit to verify everything in person.