Increased Export Tariffs on Round Timber May Kill Off Russian Timber Industry

Increasing export tariffs on round timber 'will kill off' the Russian timber industry, according to Miron Tatsyun, the president of the Association of Timber Producers and Exporters. Tatsyun made this announcement on Monday at a press conference to mark the opening of the international Forest and Man forum. He expressed his concern over the increase in the proportion of round timber and other primary timber products being exported, but also spoke out against increasing tariffs, which the Russian Ministry of Nature sees as a countermeasure for this negative trend.

'If we were talking only about the developed North-West region, then this measure would be appropriate, but there are also Siberia and the Far East,' said Tatsyun. In his opinion, in these regions the opportunities for timber processing are very limited. 'If tariffs are raised now, we may lose many businesses,' the timber producer believes. As for introducing differential increases in tariffs for different regions, this is forbidden by Russian law, he noted. 'It is a very sensitive question, and everything must be considered and thought through and a proposal made to the Ministry, otherwise any decision may be taken,' the president of the Association of Timber Producers added.