Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will soon be auctioning of 771 tonnes of red sanders, also known as red sandalwood or ‘Rakta Chandan’, felled during Cyclone Titli in 2018.
While the global auction, facilitated by the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC) in collaboration with the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), began on October 30 with 35 lots of red sanders, bidding for any unsold stock will be held on November 13 and 27 this year. “Sale schedule of 1st, 2nd & 3rd cycle – 30.10.2024, 13.11.2024 & 27.11.2024 respectively during 10.00 hours to 15.00 hours on each sale date,” the OFDC notification said.
The e-auction is expected to fetch around Rs 400 crore for the state exchequer, TNIE reported, quoting sources.
The state had earned Rs 15-20 crore from the sale of red sanders last year. These high-grade red sanders that fell in Cyclone Titli in Paralakhemundi Forest Division were said to be over 100 years old, having been been planted by the then Maharaja of Parlakhemundi in 1912.
The e-auction process for logs felled by Titli had begun in 2022 after the Centre relaxed the export norms for Odisha to sell the valuable wood.