world news - 19.09.2008
Russia to change face of softwood trade
Russia’s imposition of heavy export taxes on roundwood logs could
see the last shipment of logs leave for Finland in late 2008 and alter
the global trade of softwood sawlogs, according to Wood Resources
Quarterly (WRQ). The US publication reported that Russian
softwood log exports have fallen to their lowest in four years, with
European hardest hit by the declining amount of softwood logs crossing
Russia’s borders. This includes
Finland and Sweden, which imported 89% of Russia’s total exports to
Europe in 2007, as well as Estonia and Latvia “which increasingly have
become dependent on Russia for sawlogs”. “If Finland is not
successful in reversing the Russian export barrier, and if the Finnish
government does not find a way of compensating the Finnish forest
industry, it is likely that the last shipment of softwood logs to
Finland may leave Russia in late December,” WRQ said. WRQ added
that, despite increasing its sawlog purchases from Russia by 14% during
the first quarter of the year, China would also have to find a new
source of raw material as well as having to “consider importing
processed forest products rather than logs”.
See also:
- — South American industry has mixed year
- — Nordic firms announce structure changes
- — Tax relief also for forest conservation
- — Record timber sales as a consequence of tax exemptions
- — End of tax deduction for first thinning livens up timber sales in Finland in August