more-inKOCHI: Tonnes of red sanders, a highly valued and endangered fragrant wood, will go under the hammer in Kerala. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) will soon float a global tender for actioning about 150 tonnes of the wood logs, seized over the past one decade. While red sanders have little use and hence a low market value in India, it is in great demand in countries such as China and Japan where it is used for making furniture and cosmetics. The other day, DRI sleuths here had stopped about 12 tonnes of red sanders worth ₹3 crore, while it was in the process of being exported from the Vallarpadam container terminal. Meanwhile, officials said that there has been a sharp fall in the smuggling of red sanders through the Kochi port.

Source: The Hindu October 25, 2017 19:52 UTC