Government prohibits imports of red sanders wood

The government today prohibited the imports of red sanders, an endangered species of wood.
The directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), in a notification, said it has shifted imports of this wood from "free" to "prohibited" category.
This wood is an endangered species of flora protected under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna.
It is illegal to possess and sell the same.
Red sander is found mainly in the Seshachalam hill ranges spread across Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool in the Rayalaseema region and parts of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh.
The wood has huge demand abroad, especially in China and Japan, where it commands a good price.

It is a valued item in traditional medicines and woodcraft across China, Myanmar, Japan and East Asia.