The trade of rosewood has been subject to intense scrutiny in recent years due to illegal logging and trade in many parts of the world. In India, the Karnataka Forest department has taken stringent measures to ensure that illegal logging is kept to a minimum or completely absent from the current trade of rosewood products.
One of the ways in which illegal logging is prevented is through the use of chain of custody documents that allow overseas traders to trace the final product back to its origin. Overseas Traders, for instance, is an FSC Control Wood certified company that purchases 100% of its rosewood log requirements only from Government Timber depots through online e-auctions.
In addition to this, the Karnataka Forest department has various measures in place to prevent illegal logging. The department provides the buyer with a tax invoice and a Forest Pass for the movement of logs, which also mentions the route taken by transport logistics from the Government Timber depot to the respective Saw Mill address. Various Forest check posts have also been installed along the highway to verify and cross-check the relevant Forest Pass and Purchase Invoice carried by the transport while transporting logs.
Once the finished goods are ready to move from the factory, there is another check in place by the Range Forest Officer under whose jurisdiction the Saw Mill falls under. The officer checks the Forest Register and verifies the yield as mentioned in the Forest register. Based on this, the officer provides a Forest pass permitting the movement of the finished goods to the respective final destination.
However, despite these measures, rosewood got listed under CITES Appendix II list at the 17th Conference of the Parties Meet (COP) held in Johannesburg, South Africa in October 2016. This was due to the large illegal trade of other rosewood and look-alike Rosewood species for the Hongmu business in China. As a result, CITES and relevant parties/countries had to take the harsh decision of listing all rosewood species under CITES Appendix II list.
In India, after the CITES decision of listing Rosewood app genus under Appendix II list, the country has to provide a Legal Procurement certificate based on which a CITES comparable document is provided by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Legal Procurement certificate (LPC) is obtained by showing and explaining the legal procurement process of rosewood logs to the relevant Forest department. This includes providing the Purchase Invoice, Forest Pass & Forest Register, and the yield obtained from the rosewood logs purchased for that particular shipment of rosewood products.
In India, after the CITES decision of listing Rosewood app genus under Appendix II list, the country has to provide a Legal Procurement certificate based on which a CITES comparable document is provided by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Legal Procurement certificate (LPC) is obtained by showing and explaining the legal procurement process of rosewood logs to the relevant Forest department. This includes providing the Purchase Invoice, Forest Pass & Forest Register, and the yield obtained from the rosewood logs purchased for that particular shipment of rosewood products.
It's worth noting that musical instruments are exempted from restrictions on heavily trafficked rosewood, as reported by NPR in August 2019. This exemption is expected to continue in the future
In conclusion, legal procurement of rosewood logs in India is a process that involves strict adherence to the regulations set up by the Karnataka Forest department and CITES. With the implementation of these regulations, the trade of rosewood can be sustainable, legal, and ethical, ensuring the continued availability of this valuable resource for generations to come.
The trade of rosewood has been subject to intense scrutiny in recent years due to illegal logging and trade in many parts of the world. In India, the Karnataka Forest department has taken stringent measures to ensure that illegal logging is kept to a minimum or completely absent from the current trade of rosewood products. One of the ways in which illegal logging is prevented is through the use of chain of custody documents that allow overseas traders to trace the final product back to its origin. Overseas Traders, for instance, is an FSC Control Wood certified company that purchases 100% of its rosewood log requirements only from Government Timber depots through online e-auctions. In addition to this, the Karnataka Forest department has various measures in place to prevent illegal logging. The department provides the buyer with a tax invoice and a Forest Pass for the movement of logs, which also mentions the route taken by transport logistics from the Government Timber depot to the respective Saw Mill address. Various Forest check posts have also been installed along the highway to verify and cross-check the relevant Forest Pass and Purchase Invoice carried by the transport while transporting logs. Once the finished goods are ready to move from the factory, there is another check in place by the Range Forest Officer under whose jurisdiction the Saw Mill falls under. The officer checks the Forest Register and verifies the yield as mentioned in the Forest register. Based on this, the officer provides a Forest pass permitting the movement of the finished goods to the respective final destination.
However, despite these measures, rosewood got listed under CITES Appendix II list at the 17th Conference of the Parties Meet (COP) held in Johannesburg, South Africa in October 2016. This was due to the large illegal trade of other rosewood and look-alike Rosewood species for the Hongmu business in China. As a result, CITES and relevant parties/countries had to take the harsh decision of listing all rosewood species under CITES Appendix II list. In India, after the CITES decision of listing Rosewood app genus under Appendix II list, the country has to provide a Legal Procurement certificate based on which a CITES comparable document is provided by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Legal Procurement certificate (LPC) is obtained by showing and explaining the legal procurement process of rosewood logs to the relevant Forest department. This includes providing the Purchase Invoice, Forest Pass & Forest Register, and the yield obtained from the rosewood logs purchased for that particular shipment of rosewood products. The LPC is only obtained after the physical verification of the shipment of rosewood along with the verification of the documents related to that particular shipment by a designated Forest official not below the rank of Asst. Conservator of Forest. The LPC becomes the basis of the issuance of a CITES comparable document, which is again verified by the designated officer from the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau who physically verifies the shipment of rosewood goods at the respective port/Airport and attests the CITES comparable document after verification of the shipment. It's worth noting that musical instruments are exempted from restrictions on heavily trafficked rosewood, as reported by NPR in August 2019. This exemption is expected to continue in the future. In conclusion, legal procurement of rosewood logs in India is a process that involves strict adherence to the regulations set up by the Karnataka Forest department and CITES. With the implementation of these regulations, the trade of rosewood can be sustainable, legal, and ethical, ensuring the continued availability of this valuable resource for generations to come.