The Convention on International Trade and Endangered Species has effectively banned the international trade of red sandalwood. In December 2022, the government allowed exports of only 280 metric tons of artificially propagated wood. China was the largest taker of red sanders products, importing over 13,000 tons followed by Hong Kong and Singapore.
In today’s episode for 8th February 2023, we dive into how the red tape (regulation) around red sandalwood encourages illegal trade.