Growing sandalwood on private land in Kerala has become significantly less complicated after the State Government relaxed long-standing restrictions and simplified procedures for cutting and selling the trees.

The move comes through the Kerala Forest (Restriction on cutting and selling of sandal trees and grant of licence for possession and transport of sandalwood and sandalwood oil) Rules, 2026, which came into force immediately on March 7, 2026.

The policy overhaul aims to remove bureaucratic hurdles that have historically discouraged citizens from planting sandalwood, once treated as a tightly controlled “royal tree”.

Clear rules for personal and ritual use

For the first time, the government has clearly defined “bonafide use” of sandalwood grown on private property.

Owners can now use sandal trees grown on their land for ritual or medicinal purposes. The right also extends to members of the owner’s immediate family, including the spouse, children (including widowed daughters), brothers under 18, unmarried or widowed sisters, parents, and the children of deceased sons or daughters.

The application process has also been placed under a strict timeline. Once a request is filed, an Authorised Officer or Range Forest Officer must inspect the property, verify boundaries, and issue a written decision within 15 days.

To prevent bureaucratic delays, the rules specify that if Revenue officials fail to provide information within this period, the Forest Officer must proceed using the details supplied by the applicant.

Faster tree removal and depot processing

The revised framework also sets deadlines for cutting and handling sandalwood trees.

After receiving a written request, the Forest Department must cut, uproot, and remove the tree within one month, under the supervision of a Section Forest Officer.

Processing at depots is also time-bound. Within seven days of receiving the wood, the Depot Officer must desap, clean, and record it in a dedicated register for private property.

A further seven days later, the officer must inform the Authorised Officer of the wood’s dimensions, quality, and the average price it may fetch, based on previous auctions.

Payment safeguards and appeal process

To ensure owners receive their money without delays, the Forest Department will open a separate head of account for sale proceeds from sandalwood grown on private land.

Payments to owners will be processed as a “Refund of Forest Revenue”, a step aimed at speeding up disbursal.

The rules also introduce a two-tier appeal mechanism. If an owner is dissatisfied with a decision, an appeal can be filed before the Chief Conservator or territorial Conservator within 30 days. The authority must decide the case within 30 days after hearing it.

If the applicant remains aggrieved, a second and final appeal can be filed directly with the Government.

The amendments are intended to balance conservation with property rights, making sandalwood cultivation a viable option for ordinary citizens rather than a legal liability.

Centre signals push to revive sandalwood farming

Recently, the Union Government has also indicated that it is looking to reboot sandalwood cultivation by moving away from restrictive regulations.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has signalled a shift towards simplifying rules governing the growing, harvesting, and transportation of sandalwood.

Strict regulations have made farmers reluctant to plant the trees, leading to a decline in their overall numbers.

The Centre now wants sandalwood to be cultivated through intercropping, allowing farmers to grow it alongside crops such as coconut, coffee, or cashew.

To revive the sector, the government plans to provide technical support to address low productivity and tree diseases, with the initiative expected to begin this year.

Officials say the policy direction follows feedback from farmers who have complained about the difficulties of maintaining sandalwood plantations under existing restrictions.