Development of wood procurement in Northwest Russia: round wood balance and unreported flows

Abstract

This paper analyses industrial round wood flows into, within, and out of Northwest regions of Russia. We examine sawlogs, pulpwood, and fuelwood used for industrial purposes obtained from logging, and chips obtained from the wood-processing industry. We attempt to clarify different recent trends in wood harvesting, industrial round wood export, and forest industries development that have an influence on unreported wood in Russia. Our method, which uses wood balance diagrams, provides an interpretation of data from different Russian sources in order to offer better transparency regarding wood flows from forests to mills. It also helps to explain the apparent imbalance between round wood supply and demand and it helps one to assess the possible share of unreported industrial round wood production in Northwest Russia. Based on annual forest-related statistical data available from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the State Committee of Statistics, and the Russian Federation’s Customs Department, unreported round wood flows can be estimated to be 23% of the total industrial round wood production, or approximately 9 million m3 u.b. per year. Unreported round wood flows are more common in export oriented regions that have poorly developed forest industries.