Sandalwood Tree Harvesting and Heartwood Processing — Sandalwood of Karnataka

Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is an evergreen tree native to southern India. It is a hemiparasite, with its roots attaching to the roots of nearby host trees (via haustoria) to obtain water and nutrients. The tree grows to 12-15 meters in height. The two main parts of the wood are: sapwood — the light-colored, unscented outer portion; and heartwood — the brown, fragrant inner portion. The heartwood only develops sufficiently after 15-30+ years.

A sandalwood tree suitable for harvesting must be at least 15 years old, but trees 20-30+ years old have the best heartwood. The trunk circumference at 1.3 meters above ground level should be at least 30 cm. The bark can be lightly scraped and smell-tested — a mature tree emits a distinctive sweet, woody fragrance. Dried, diseased, or dead trees are also suitable for harvesting — sandalwood heartwood retains its fragrance even after the tree dies.

In the state of Karnataka, all sandalwood trees are government property — even those growing on private land. A felling permit must be obtained from the Karnataka Forest Department. Unauthorized felling or transportation of sandalwood is a severely punishable offense (under the Karnataka Forest Act, 1963 and the Indian Forest Act, 1927). Only the Marayoor region of Kerala has slightly different regulations. A separate transit pass is required for transportation.

Begin digging in a circular pattern around the tree with a diameter of 1-1.5 meters. Dig deeply while exposing the roots. Find each major root and cut it at its very tip — to collect all the wood of the root. Carefully cut the haustoria connections attached to the roots of host trees. After all roots are loosened, gently tilt the tree and lay it on the ground.

After felling the tree to the ground, first cut all the branches. Then remove the bark. Under the bark, sapwood appears — this is light-colored, odorless wood. When removing bark, be careful not to damage the heartwood. In small branches, there is little or no heartwood — these contain mostly sapwood only.

Sandalwood oil yields 4-6% from the heartwood and roots. The key aromatic compounds of the oil are: alpha-santalol (alpha-santalol, >40%) and beta-santalol (beta-santalol, >16%). These compounds are responsible for the characteristic sweet, woody, and creamy fragrance of sandalwood. Because the roots and wood contain the highest oil content, the trees are uprooted entirely without felling. Historically, this oil has been used in temple carvings, fragrance materials, and Ayurvedic medicine.

Weigh and record the heartwood of each grade separately. A mature tree (20-30+ years) typically yields 15-40 kg of heartwood (based on tree size and age). Current market price: $100-300+ per kg based on grade and quality. Official weight and grade assessment is done at government auctions.

Dry heartwood pieces in the shade — direct sunlight can crack the wood and evaporate volatile oil components. Place the wood elevated from the ground in a well-ventilated location (using stacking racks). Leave sufficient space between pieces. Drying period 2-4 weeks, until moisture reduces to 12-15%. Protect from rain.