Dalbergia Sissoo - Indian Rosewood - Importance, CITES Status & UPSC Relevance

The Indian Rosewood: Dalbergia sissoo

Dalbergia sissoo is a large, fast-growing tree that is native to the Indian subcontinent and southern Iran.

Image source: www.hindustantimes.com

• The tree belongs to the Dalbergia genus and can grow up to 25 m in height and 2 – 3 m in width.
• It is resilient to average rainfall of up to 2,000 millimetres and can survive droughts lasting 3-4 months.
• Known as a premier species of the rosewood genus, it is also used as fuel wood, and provides shade, shelter, and fodder.
• Second only to teak, it is a critical timber tree in India, often planted along roadsides and used as shade for tea plantations.
• The tree's ability to tolerate light frosts and long dry seasons makes it suitable for agroforestry applications.

CITES and the Dalbergia sissoo

In the CITES COP17 meeting in Johannesburg in 2016, the entire Dalbergia genus, including Dalbergia sissoo, was included in Appendix Ⅱ due to concerns about an illegal trade fueled by a surge in demand for Dalbergia wood in international markets, particularly in China. This led to a significant decline in exports of furniture and handicrafts made from Dalbergia sissoo from India.

However, the CITES COP19 conference brought some relief for Indian exporters. While the Dalbergia genus was not delisted from CITES Appendix II, it was agreed that any number of Dalbergia Sissoo timber-based items could be exported as a single consignment in a shipment without CITES permits if the weight of each item was less than 10kg. This decision is expected to boost the export of articles and aid artisans.

Further Reading

For more information on related topics, you can visit the following links: