of age on the complex phenomenon of heartwood and oil formation was quite
significant and could not be overlooked. In a study carried out by Brand et al.
(2006) on fourteen-year-old Sandalwood trees (n = 20) revealed interesting
observations. It was found that heartwood formation had not occurred in four trees
at 30 cm height (20 %) and five trees at 100 cm height (25 %) above the ground.
Similarly, a study carried out by Arun Kumar (2005) on 20-year-old Sandalwood
trees grown in clonal germplasm bank (n = 111) not only showed considerable
variation for heartwood and oil, but also found that in 14 % trees, heartwood had
not been formed. Interestingly, it was also found that there was a strong positive
relationship between tree diameter and heartwood diameter, while heartwood and
oil content did not show significant relationship indicating that heartwood formation and oil accumulation are two independent processes (Arun Kumar et al. 2011).
Considering all these studies, some of the grey areas in heartwood research are—
heartwood and its formation is yet to be properly understood, interaction of
Genetics and environment in heartwood formation is still not known and understanding biosynthetic pathway of oil formation is still not clear.
4 Sandalwood Production and Current Scenario
Sandalwood production in major Sandalwood growing states of Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu has significantly dwindled over the period of time. In case of Karnataka,
the average production of Sandalwood between the years 1960–1961 to 1964–1965
was 2287.8 tons which drastically reduced to 366.74 tons by the end of the last five
years of the twentieth century (1995–1996 to 1999–2000). It further fell to a mere
61.57 tons in the first decade of this century. As is evident from the Fig. 1, during the
period from 1995–1996 to 2013–2014, the quantity of Sandalwood produced and
seized in Karnataka has already reached an alarming stage. In 1997–1998 the production was 316 metric tones and the seizure was 80.07 metric tones. The highest
production of 605 metric tons was in 1999–2000. However, in the 2013–2014, the
production was only 0.95 metric ton indicating the present precarious condition of
Sandalwood in the state of Karnataka. It has been reported in 1997 that commercially
utilisable Sandalwood trees of girth more than 30 cm to a large extent is absent in its
natural area of distribution in Karnataka (Swaminath et al. 1998). The situation in
Tamil Nadu is also very similar and the natural population has substantially reduced.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sandalwood tree was considered as the government property in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Realising the serious
situation, Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have relaxed their policies
which to a considerable extent has started encouraging growing of Sandalwood in
private lands. With the decline in Sandalwood availability, the price has skyrocketed. The current cost of heartwood (June, 2015) that is being sold for general public
at Cauvery Handicraft Emporium, the Karnataka State Government outlet is *Rs.
1800 for 100 g of wood and the Sandalwood oil is being priced at Rs. 1800 for 5 g
which amounts to *US$ 5673/kg of oil. The Government of Karnataka recently
The Population Decline of Indian Sandalwood and People’s Role …
381
significant and could not be overlooked. In a study carried out by Brand et al.
(2006) on fourteen-year-old Sandalwood trees (n = 20) revealed interesting
observations. It was found that heartwood formation had not occurred in four trees
at 30 cm height (20 %) and five trees at 100 cm height (25 %) above the ground.
Similarly, a study carried out by Arun Kumar (2005) on 20-year-old Sandalwood
trees grown in clonal germplasm bank (n = 111) not only showed considerable
variation for heartwood and oil, but also found that in 14 % trees, heartwood had
not been formed. Interestingly, it was also found that there was a strong positive
relationship between tree diameter and heartwood diameter, while heartwood and
oil content did not show significant relationship indicating that heartwood formation and oil accumulation are two independent processes (Arun Kumar et al. 2011).
Considering all these studies, some of the grey areas in heartwood research are—
heartwood and its formation is yet to be properly understood, interaction of
Genetics and environment in heartwood formation is still not known and understanding biosynthetic pathway of oil formation is still not clear.
4 Sandalwood Production and Current Scenario
Sandalwood production in major Sandalwood growing states of Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu has significantly dwindled over the period of time. In case of Karnataka,
the average production of Sandalwood between the years 1960–1961 to 1964–1965
was 2287.8 tons which drastically reduced to 366.74 tons by the end of the last five
years of the twentieth century (1995–1996 to 1999–2000). It further fell to a mere
61.57 tons in the first decade of this century. As is evident from the Fig. 1, during the
period from 1995–1996 to 2013–2014, the quantity of Sandalwood produced and
seized in Karnataka has already reached an alarming stage. In 1997–1998 the production was 316 metric tones and the seizure was 80.07 metric tones. The highest
production of 605 metric tons was in 1999–2000. However, in the 2013–2014, the
production was only 0.95 metric ton indicating the present precarious condition of
Sandalwood in the state of Karnataka. It has been reported in 1997 that commercially
utilisable Sandalwood trees of girth more than 30 cm to a large extent is absent in its
natural area of distribution in Karnataka (Swaminath et al. 1998). The situation in
Tamil Nadu is also very similar and the natural population has substantially reduced.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sandalwood tree was considered as the government property in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Realising the serious
situation, Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have relaxed their policies
which to a considerable extent has started encouraging growing of Sandalwood in
private lands. With the decline in Sandalwood availability, the price has skyrocketed. The current cost of heartwood (June, 2015) that is being sold for general public
at Cauvery Handicraft Emporium, the Karnataka State Government outlet is *Rs.
1800 for 100 g of wood and the Sandalwood oil is being priced at Rs. 1800 for 5 g
which amounts to *US$ 5673/kg of oil. The Government of Karnataka recently
The Population Decline of Indian Sandalwood and People’s Role …
381