OREANDA-NEWS. On 28 January 2009 On 26 January 2009 was announced, that Forestry Minister Petr Semashko told a news conference, that Belarusian forestry companies subordinate to the Forestry Ministry reported 127.5 billion Belarusian rubles (Br)’ worth of capital investment in 2008, up 37% from the 2007 level.

The target for 2009 is 135.6 billion rubles, up 6.4% on the year.

In 2008, 20 billion rubles was invested in the construction of 100 kilometers of forest roads, 24 billion rubles in modernization of forestry-based productions and 34 billion rubles in upgrade of harvesting machinery.

Seven projects included in the state forestry program were completed in 2008: two pellet-producing plants and five small merchantable wood plants in Zhitkovichi, Ostrovetsk, Begoml, Klichev and Osipovichi.

Also in 2008, Kalinkovichi and Kopyl forest farms launched productions of peeled timber; four farms launched timber desiccation units.

Some 17 billion rubles of own funds were invested in new productions, the minister said.