OREANDA-NEWS. On 20 March 2009 was announced, that at the enlarged session of the Government of Karelia held on March 17 results and problems of forestry were analysed by the Director of Karelian research institute of forestry and Advisor of the Head of the RK Prof. Ilya Shegelman.

According to the scientist, in the Northwest Federal District only in January, 2009 in comparison with December, 2008 production of commodity cellulose has decreased by 32.5%, production of papers has decreased by 18,9 %, production of cardboard has decreased by 38.9%, production of paper sacks has decreased by 73.4%. According to the expert forecasts, unsold timber losses of timber merchants of the NWFD in 2009 can make 11 billion roubles.

However, on paper production Karelia has the first place in the Northwest, it is in the lead on development of the calculated felling rate, and on introduction of Scandinavian technologies, when on other parameters, as a rule, it is on the 5 to 6 place.

Pulp-and-paper enterprises this year work almost without suspensions of production activity.

Rate of paper sacks production growth in January has made 22.7%, and 51% in February. Production of paper has made 82.3% to January of the last year, and 95.3% in February. In many respects it became possible because, unlike some subjects of the Russian Federation, Karelia has developed its Forest Plan in due time and has taken serious measures for preservation of the branch.

As a result, there has been formed a package of specific proposals which include:

offers on inclusion of 19 enterprises of forest industry in the List of strategic enterprises applying for the state support,

the list of enterprises of strategic value for economy of the republic for rendering state support to the enterprises of real sector of economy has been generated,

the application is sent to the federal center on federal financing of construction of wood roads (335 million roubles for 2009),

the list of public works to involve released workers of forest industry enterprises has been generated, for which purposes funds have been allocated from the federal budget.

At the next session of the Northwest Association the address of the Government of the Russian Federation, in particular, on cancelling of export duties, allocation of credit resources for replenishment of circulating assets, decrease in electricity prices will be prepared and sent.

Especially pressing issue concerns cancelling of birch pulpwood export duties. Lumberers lose being unable to sell this products, as well as the budget receives less revenues, and this situation may cause decrease in birch pulpwood logging volumes, deterioration of pedigree structure of the forest fund and decrease in its commodity cost.

Actual is the issue of essential involving of local resources of fire wood, waste of timber cuttings and peat in processing. Such target program designed for 2007-2010 already operates and is implemented at achievement of all economic parameters. Government of the republic has planned creation of regional strategy of the fuel branch development on the basis of local power resources for the next ten years perfectly. It is both extremely important for creation of Karelia's security of energy supply, and should also raise interest of forest exploitators in delivery of wood raw material as fuel, give a stimulus to the peat industry development in Karelia. I shall remind, that Oulu, the large city of Finland, is 90% heated by peat.

In 2009 results of February, as well as plans of enterprises of forest industry for March, show that in comparison with January decline in production volumes of the basic kinds of products has been reduced. Today decrease in production costs and presence of circulating assets is the core issue for the enterprises of forest industry in execution of the planned production volumes and, as a consequence, preservation of workplaces, despite of price fluctuations and product ramp-down.