Geneva, Switzerland: India has achieved a significant milestone in wildlife and ecosystem conservation as it emerges successfully from the Review of Significant Trade (RST) process for Red Sanders. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment, Bhupender Yadav, following the recently concluded 77th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held in Geneva, Switzerland from November 6th to 10th, 2023.
During the meeting, chaired by Ms. Naimah Aziz of the United States, various compliance matters were discussed, many of which directly affected India. Bhupender Yadav shared that, consequent to the amendment of the Wildlife Act and the placement of CITES legislation of India in Category 1 of the National Legislation Project, India has been removed from the RST process for Red Sanders. India had been under the scrutiny of the RST process since 2004.
The Red Sanders, a tree of high market value endemic to certain districts in Andhra Pradesh, faced threats of illegal harvesting and smuggling, leading to depletion in natural forests. However, legal exports from artificially propagated plantations play a crucial role, and this removal from the RST process will undoubtedly benefit farmers cultivating Red Sanders. The move is expected to increase income through cultivation and export, encouraging sustainable practices.
India’s compliance journey involved consistent updates to the CITES Secretariat on red sanders’ export status, Non-Detrimental Findings, and the finalization of a zero quota for wild Red Sanders export. This, coupled with interventions for the conservation of Big Cats, contributed to the decision to place India in Category 1 for the CITES National Legislation program.
In addition, India appealed to range countries and stakeholders to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 9th, 2023, further demonstrating India’s commitment to global conservation efforts.