The world's precious tree grown in Vietnam: From roots to leaves can be sold, essential oil costs 8,000 USD/liter

This tree is known as the "golden tree of the forest".

Exotic plants with many uses

In recent years, replacing less effective crops with new crops with better economic value has been a trend in many areas of Vietnam. Many farmers have chosen a type of tree to experiment with and have achieved success with high economic efficiency.

That is the sandalwood tree , scientific name is Santalum album L, family santalaceae . The tree originates from East Timor, distributed in India, China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan), Indonesia. In Vietnam, sandalwood has been researched and  successfully tested in some areas of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thanh Hoa, Binh Dinh.

Many farmers have chosen a type of tree to experiment with and have achieved success with high economic efficiency. (Photo: ISAF).

Sandalwood has a characteristic yellow color, heavy weight and beautiful fine grain, considered  one of the rare and valuable woods in the world.  This wood was first found in South India, known as its homeland.

Sandalwood trees thrive in dry, arid regions, reaching heights of between 4 and 7 metres when mature. Sandalwood is prized not only for its quality but also for its cultural and spiritual significance. In India, where sandalwood is highly revered, it is frequently used in religious ceremonies and is used to purify the body and soul.

Sandalwood is also known as the "green gold" tree (Photo: ISAF).

Sandalwood is economically valued because of the ability to use every part from the heartwood, roots, leaves, seeds to wood waste for the production of essential oils and cosmetics, so  it is also called the "green gold" tree.

Plants that bring economic value to farmers

Sandalwood comes in two main varieties, white and red, each with its own distinct properties.

Sandalwood root powder is widely used in the beauty industry to create high-end cosmetics and natural skin care products. Powder from the sapwood and small branches are used in skin care and beauty products.

The leaves of the sandalwood tree are processed into high-quality teas and beverages. The fruit and seeds can be consumed directly or extracted for essential oils.

Sandalwood root powder is widely used in the beauty industry (Photo: ISAF).

The characteristic scent of sandalwood is very special , with the ability to retain the scent for a long time, up to several decades. When processed into oil, sandalwood has a high value on the market,  with prices reaching up to 8,000 USD for a liter,  equivalent to about 200 million VND. Sandalwood oil is considered a "golden drop" due to its great value. In modern times, sandalwood oil is commonly used in the production of soap, perfume and incense.

Sandalwood soap is famous for its antibacterial properties and natural moisturizing properties, giving users a comfortable feeling. The pleasant scent of sandalwood also helps improve mood and create refreshment, so this product is very popular.

Sandalwood core costs around $350 per kilogram in India and $450 per kilogram in Vietnam. In markets such as China and Taiwan, the price is even higher. Because of its outstanding properties and value, sandalwood is sometimes referred to as the rare 'green gold.' However, this tree is facing the risk of extinction due to uncontrolled exploitation.

Sandalwood core costs around $350 per kg in India (Photo: ISAF).

Sandalwood trees can adapt to many types of soil such as sandy soil, red soil, heavy clay, laterite soil, and gravel soil, but the necessary condition is that the soil must have good drainage because the tree cannot withstand flooding. After 3 years of planting, the tree begins to produce leaves and from the 4th to the 13th year, the tree will produce fruit with a yield of 1.5 kg/tree per year. When the sandalwood tree reaches 13 years old or more, start harvesting precious wood with a core of 20-30 kg per tree including the core of the trunk, root core and branches.

Current market prices for each sandalwood product are as follows: fresh leaves cost about 100,000 VND/kg; fruit costs from 150,000-200,000 VND/kg; Sharing with Dan Viet newspaper, Dr. Vu Thoai, Chairman of the Scientific Council at the Vietnam Institute for Research on Sandalwood and Rare Plants,  one hectare of sandalwood can bring in an income of 500-700 million VND , from the stage of harvesting leaves and fruits until harvesting all the wood from the trunk and roots of the tree.

Sandalwood trees are adaptable to many types of soil (Photo: ISAF).

However, Dr. Vu Thoai said that income from sandalwood planting area depends not only on planting density but also on the care process and intercropping sandalwood with other types of trees.