Russian government has introduced moratorium on increasing fees for forest usage

To support forest industry enterprises, the Russian government introduced a moratorium for a year on increasing the rates of payment for forest use, as well as on carrying out planned supervisory activities. In addition, the deadlines for the implementation of priority investment projects in the field of forest development have been extended for a year and a half, the government said at a meeting.

In addition, the government will expand the list of checkpoints across the state border for the export of sawn timber. This will increase export deliveries.

“In the current situation, it is especially important to continue the policy aimed at whitewashing the industry and increasing the transparency of timber transactions with the help of electronic accompanying documents during its transportation,” Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Victoria Abramchenko said.

As the vice-premier noted, important measures to support the forest industry will be an increase in the terms of soft loans issued by the Industrial Development Fund to five years, as well as priority support for projects aimed at import substitution of wood products.

“Our task is to save jobs in the timber industry complex, forestry and prevent disruptions in work. The imposed sanctions have revealed growth points for the timber industry. On the world market, there is a high demand and rising prices for timber, and within the country, we have every opportunity to create new industries, for example, including chemicals and fluff pulp. Baby diapers, hygiene products are produced from it, for example. Our timber industry is quite capable of quickly increasing the production of raw materials for such goods. I instructed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to quickly create an import substitution program for the timber complex,” Victoria Abramchenko stressed.

In addition, in Russia, it is planned to create production facilities for related products for wood processing - chemicals and rolling stock for their transportation, equipment, spare parts for furniture fittings.

Author: Galina Bakhshieva