According to a report by the Russian Satellite Network on the 25th, birch has become one of the traditional types of firewood in Finland due to its high burning heat, and is sought after by consumers and some industrial enterprises. As Finland supports EU sanctions on Russia and tries to gradually wean itself off Russia's energy supply, Finland's "explosive demand" for birch has doubled the price of birch since the end of the summer, delaying deliveries to many timber shops, the report said. Seriously, some online stores were even forced to close due to out-of-stocks, which in turn pushed prices up further.
Most of Finland’s previous industrial needs were imported from Russia. According to the Finnish Natural Resources Institute, 74% of the logs imported by the Nordic countries in 2021 will come from Russia. At present, Finland has urgently looked for alternative wood from the domestic market, but the situation is not optimistic.
Pandy Katena, chief executive of Maatukku, one of Finland's largest lumber retailers, said that although the price of birch has doubled, the incoming bulk orders could keep prices up again. Due to the high demand for wood, the Finnish government has reminded the warehousing industry to protect the wood. It is understood that timber thefts have occurred in cities such as Tampere.