Red Sanders Farmers in Tamil Nadu Receive ₹55 Lakh from NBA

A First Step That Changes Everything

This is the first time anyone has directly paid farmers for growing Red Sanders under the Access and Benefit Sharing rules. Before this, big amounts went only to forest departments. For example, the authority earlier gave forty-eight crore rupees to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka forest teams plus the Andhra Pradesh biodiversity board. All that was for protecting wild trees. Now the focus has shifted to people who actually plant and nurture the trees on their own land.

The villages that benefited are Kannabhiran nagar, Kothur, Vembedu, Siruniyum, Goonipalayam, Ammambakkam, Alikuzhi and Thimmaboopola puram. Farmers here have been quietly growing Red Sanders for years. They never thought their effort would bring cash rewards. But the new payout proves that looking after nature can also fill your pocket.

How the Idea Started

Everything began back in 2015 when the National Biodiversity Authority set up an expert group to study Red Sanders. The group wrote a detailed report on how to save the tree, use it wisely and share profits fairly. One big suggestion was to allow export of Red Sanders grown on farms. In 2019 the foreign trade office relaxed the rules and made it possible. Suddenly farmers could sell their wood legally and earn good money.

Red Sanders grows naturally only in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. Yet people in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha and a few other states have started planting it too. The tree is famous for its deep red wood that is used in medicines, dyes and musical instruments. Demand is huge across the world, especially in China and Japan. When farmers supply cultivated wood, wild trees get a break from illegal cutting.

Why This Money Matters to Farmers

Fifty-five lakh rupees split among eighteen farmers works out to roughly three lakh rupees each. That is a solid amount in rural Tamil Nadu. It can pay for better irrigation, new saplings or even school fees for children. More importantly, it sends a clear message, if you protect biodiversity, you will be rewarded.

The authority wants every farmer to feel like a partner in conservation. When local people earn from trees, they plant more and guard them better. Illegal loggers find it harder to operate because cultivated supplies flood the market at lower risk. Everyone wins, the tree stays safe and farmers stay happy.

What Red Sanders Means for India

Red Sanders is not just any tree. It grows slowly, lives long and stores carbon. Its leaves enrich the soil and its roots hold water. Villages that grow it see greener fields and steadier groundwater. On the cultural side, the wood has been part of traditional medicine and temple carvings for centuries. Keeping the species alive protects both ecology and heritage.

Growing Red Sanders on farms also creates steady jobs. From planting saplings to pruning branches, from harvesting mature trees to processing wood, every step needs hands. Youngsters in Tiruvallur now talk about agro-forestry instead of migrating to cities. The fifty-five lakh payout is just the beginning. If more farmers join, the next round could be even bigger.

Looking Ahead

The National Biodiversity Authority has promised to keep linking conservation with income. Plans are already underway to cover other native species. Farmers growing sandalwood, teak or medicinal herbs might get similar benefits soon. State biodiversity boards across the country are taking notes from Tamil Nadu’s example.

For the eighteen farmers in Tiruvallur, the cheque is more than money. It is proof that small efforts add up. They started with a few saplings years ago. Today those trees have turned into a livelihood and a legacy. Their children will inherit not just land but a model of sustainable farming.

If you live in a village and have space for trees, think about Red Sanders. The rules are friendly now and the market is waiting. One day your backyard could fund your dreams while saving a rare Indian treasure.