Russian authorities refused to create a state-owned company that would receive a monopoly right to export round wood after the introduction of a ban from January 1, 2022. This was stated by the head of Minvostok Development Alexey Chekunkov, who was one of the main supporters of such plans, writes RBC.
He called the situation with the “sick theme”, since 8.5 thousand people are busy in the industry, and together with families and up to 30 thousand, and the ban on the export of forests for them has become an existential challenge. Now the ministry needs to find some options for supporting the industry.
The export stop was discussed for a long time, but timber industry enterprises were not ready for such measures. In the region, there is still a deficit of processing capacity, so the prepared forest actually has nowhere to send.
Chekukankov said that urgently create sawmills, so that the forest was processed in this way abroad. Delivery of forest from the Far East to Siberia also looks not too good option, because it is too expensive. However, the minister clarified, at the current prices and it may be profitable.
President Vladimir Putin instructed to completely stop from January 1, 2022, the removal or roughly treated wood from Russia. Officials offered to make an exception for the Far East, and to sell the forest only through the state-owned company. Ministry of Industry and Depth Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko opposed.
The head of the largest timber-industrial holding of the Far East RFP Group Konstantin Lashkevich predicted that after the ban’s entry into force, the problem would not be solved, but will change the form. According to him, the Chinese are promptly mounting sawmills in Russian forests and buy any forest to take it out already as recycled. In his opinion, the tightening of the control does not fix the situation.