AS “LATVIJAS VALSTS MEŽI” (STATE FORESTS OF LATVIA) WILL NOT LEAVE LOCAL BUSINESSES WITHOUT TIMBER

In general, since the beginning of this year, the Board of LVM has been working on the issue of what could be done more intensively in connection with the manufacturing of products suitable for heating – firewood, wood chips. With rising prices, there is a growing interest in local wood chips. High demand for wood chips is currently maintained not only by the industrial sector but also by municipalities.

Beļskis also mentions that by increasing the amount of felling set by the state, on the one hand, Latvia would obtain more roundwood, and on the other hand – a large amount of energy wood, which is obtained as a result of felling and processing, which can be directed to the energy sector. In view of this, both local producers and local residents would benefit from this process.

The ban on timber imports from Russia and Belarus certainly encourages more active focus on the internal timber market. Namely, the discussion is about equating the volume to the Baltic standard, determining larger diameters for felling trees, thus allowing larger volumes to be felled and providing the market with additional material.

We can still call the forest sector one of the most profitable sectors in Latvia. At present, the timber industry has an incentive to produce the products suited for the economy needs. By using local wood in construction, Latvia could significantly reduce its material dependence on its eastern neighbours, while making construction much greener and more environmentally friendly.

_{You can read the full interview here (in Latvian): https://www.la.lv/belskis-kokrupnieki-bez-izejvielas-nepaliks.}