The main production season of the Russian timber industry - winter is coming to an end. The latest deforestation data released by the Russian statistics department shows that in January 2023, the volume of Russian logging fell by 10% compared with the same period last year.
Compared with the same period last year, hardwood and softwood roundwood harvests in January 2023 fell by about the same amount: softwood fellings fell by about 9%, and hardwood fellings fell by about 10%. The reduction in log felling is reflected in the main Russian timber producing regions: Irkutsk region -17%, Vologda region -11%, Arkhangelsk region -10%, Krasnoyarsk region -22%, Kirov -27%, Karelia -22%, Primorye -14% and Khabarovsk -31%.
The coming off-season of felling in Russia is not very good news for domestic timber merchants. What's more, this reduction in production may be a suspension of logging activities for many companies. For others, it could be a complete cessation of logging.
As one logging company in the Northwest Territories pointed out, companies with high costs, debt burdens and inefficient management have been unable to withstand competition in the log market and restricted markets.