To get a BKSDA recommendation for gaharu export, you register your business (NIB), prove legal procurement of the agarwood, secure a SAKO transport permit and settle the IHH forest levy, then submit the package to your provincial BKSDA office. The recommendation supports the national CITES export permit — BKSDA does not issue that permit itself.
Agarwood (gaharu) sits under CITES Appendix II, so international trade is legal but tightly regulated. Most Aquilaria and Gyrinops species are listed, which means every legal shipment needs a CITES export permit plus a BKSDA recommendation, and the trade is subject to a Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) confirming it will not harm wild populations. This walkthrough maps the documents and the order they arrive in. Provincial procedures vary, so treat it as a support guide, not a substitute for your local BKSDA office or the CITES Management Authority.
What role does BKSDA actually play?
BKSDA (Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam) is the regional conservation authority. It does not print the CITES export permit — that sits with Indonesia’s designated national Management Authority. What BKSDA issues is the recommendation and verification layer the Management Authority relies on: it checks that your stock is legally sourced, that your paperwork is consistent, and that your volume fits the current quota. For plantation material, BKSDA also confirms the source code as P (artificially propagated) rather than W (wild), which is generally faster to clear and more sustainable.
Think of BKSDA as the gatekeeper who signs off before the national permit desk will open your file. If you need a hand assembling that file, our BKSDA export licensing help desk can walk you through the provincial specifics before you submit.
Which documents do you need before you start?
Get these ready first. A missing document is the single most common reason a file stalls at the provincial office.
| Document | What it proves | Issued / handled by |
|---|---|---|
| NIB (Nomor Induk Berusaha) | Your business is legally registered to trade | OSS business licensing system |
| Legal procurement records | The agarwood was sourced lawfully (plantation or permitted harvest) | Your supplier + forestry office |
| SAKO (Surat Angkutan Kayu Olahan) | The processed wood moved legally between regions | Local forest authority |
| IHH (Iuran Hasil Hutan) receipt | The forest-resource levy was paid | Ministry of Forestry / regional office |
| Species & source declaration | Correct species and W vs P source code | You, verified by BKSDA |
How is the IHH forest levy calculated?
The Iuran Hasil Hutan is the forest-resource tax on harvested product. Under the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 606/Kpts-IV/1996, the rates were set per kilogram by product type:
| Gaharu type | What it is | IHH rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gubal gaharu | The resinous inner wood (highest grade) | IDR 20,000/kg |
| Damar gaharu | The resin | IDR 20,000/kg |
| Kemedangan gaharu | Lower-resin wood | IDR 15,000/kg |
Each was roughly USD 2/kg at the quoted rate. Keep the receipt — both BKSDA and the permit desk will want to see the levy settled before they sign off.
What are the actual steps, in order?
Here is the sequence most exporters follow. The steps overlap; don’t wait for one to fully close before starting the next.
- Register your business. Secure your NIB through the OSS system. Without it, nothing downstream is valid.
- Lock in legal procurement. Document where the agarwood came from. Plantation-propagated stock is easiest to evidence; if any material originates from State forests in Kalimantan, harvest needs a permit under Forestry Regulation No. 28.
- Move the wood legally. Processed agarwood crossing Indonesian regions needs a SAKO transport permit from the local forest authority. Match the SAKO volume to your invoices.
- Pay the IHH levy. Settle the forest-resource tax and keep the receipt.
- Prepare the species and source declaration. State the species (for example, Aquilaria malaccensis) and whether the source code is W or P. Plantation equals P.
- Submit to provincial BKSDA. Hand over the full package. BKSDA verifies legality and checks your volume against the quota.
- Receive the BKSDA recommendation. This is the sign-off the national Management Authority needs.
- Apply for the CITES export permit. With the recommendation in hand, the Management Authority issues the actual export permit, subject to the NDF.
How does the quota affect wild versus plantation material?
The NDF is where wild material gets tight. Indonesia’s 2024 NDF set a wild Aquilaria malaccensis quota of 24,110 kg — a hard ceiling shared across the whole legal wild trade. Once it is used up, wild permits stop. Plantation (source code P) material is not squeezed the same way and is generally easier to permit, which is why we steer exporters toward cultivated stock first and never toward wild-harvest shortcuts.
We are a sourcing broker and information hub, not a permit authority. We can help you assemble and sequence the paperwork, but we never sell permit certainty and never guarantee customs clearance. Always confirm current requirements with the CITES Management Authority (Indonesia) and your import country before you commit to a shipment.
What trips exporters up most?
- Volume mismatches between the SAKO, the invoices, and the declared quota share.
- Assuming BKSDA issues the CITES permit — it issues the recommendation; the Management Authority issues the permit.
- Weak procurement evidence for wood claimed as plantation but documented like wild.
- Skipping the import-country check — your buyer’s country may require its own CITES import permit.
Provincial offices differ in processing time and document formatting, so build in buffer and confirm the local checklist before you submit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BKSDA issue the CITES export permit for gaharu?
No. BKSDA issues a recommendation confirming your agarwood is legally sourced and within quota. Indonesia’s designated national CITES Management Authority issues the actual export permit, subject to a Non-Detriment Finding. Treat BKSDA as the mandatory verification step before the national permit desk reviews your file.
How long does the BKSDA recommendation take for gaharu export?
There is no single national timeline — provincial BKSDA offices vary in processing speed and document requirements. The biggest delays come from incomplete files: a missing NIB, unmatched SAKO volumes, or unpaid IHH. Assemble every document first, confirm the local checklist, and verify current turnaround directly with your provincial BKSDA office.
Do I still need a SAKO if my gaharu is plantation-grown?
Yes, if the processed wood moves between Indonesian regions. The SAKO (Surat Angkutan Kayu Olahan) is a wood transport permit from the local forest authority and applies to legal movement regardless of plantation or wild origin. Plantation source (code P) is easier to permit overall, but the transport documentation still applies.