The 19th meeting of the Conference of Parties to Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) has agreed that any number of Dalbergia sissoo timber-based items can be exported as a single consignment in a shipment without CITES permits if the weight of each individual item of this consignment is less than 10 kg.
- The COP-19 to CITES is being held in the scenic city of Panama from 14th to 25th of November 2022.
Key points
- The 17th meeting of Conference of Parties (CoP) at Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016, had included all species of Genus Dalbergia in Appendix II of the convention, thereby requiring to follow CITES regulations for the trade of the species.
- In India, the species Dalbergia sissoo (North Indian Rosewood or Shisham) is found in abundance and is not treated as an endangered species.
- Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) is included in Appendix II of the convention, thereby requiring to follow CITES regulations for the trade of the species.
- As of now every consignment of weight above 10 kg requires CITES permit. Due to this restriction exports of furniture and handicrafts made of Dalbergia sissoo from India has been continuously falling.
- The decrease in exports of Dalbergia sissoo products has affected the livelihoods of around 50,000 artisans who work with the species.
- On India’s initiative a proposal to clarify the quantity of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) items such as furniture and artefacts was considered in the current meeting.
- It was agreed upon that any number of Dalbergia sissoo timber-based items can be exported as a single consignment in a shipment without CITES permits if the weight of each individual item of this consignment is less than 10 kg.
- Further, it was agreed that for net weight of each item only timber will be considered and any other item used in the product like metal etc. will be ignored. This is a great relief for the Indian artisans and furniture industry.
