Metsäntutkimuslaitos Skogsforskningsinstitutet Finnish Forest Research Institute www.metla.fi
Coniferous wood import
from Russia to Finland
Forest cluster in North-Western Russia, Finland
and Sweden Section 4: International cooperation in wood harvesting
and logistics
Petrozavodsk, September 21, 2011
Timo Tolonen
Background
Import of wood from Russia to Finland grew steadily
from the end of 1990’s to 2005 when the record of 17
million cubic meters was achieved.
Since the beginning of March 2005 coniferous wood
consignments from European parts of Russia
require a phytosanitary certificate given by the Russian
plant health authorities and
1 % of consignments are inspected by Finnish
authorities.
100 % from Asian parts of Russia and larch (Larix)
threat that foreign plant pests (Pine wood nematode,
Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) may invade recipient
country
21.09.2011
This EU demand caused fear among forest industry,
because of the origin of wood
European part of Russia and especially its Northwest
district.
Physical plant health inspection and its organizing in
border crossing points were expected to
slow down the import
increase the bureaucracy and import costs.
Since 2007 increase of export duties for coniferous
round wood.
This study analyses the import of coniferous wood
from Russia to Finland and changes within it during the
period 2005 – 2009. The study is based on material
collected by the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira.
21.09.2011
Material and methods
Coniferous import to Finland during the period
2005 – 2009
over half a million phytosanitary certificates
over 25 million m3 of coniferous wood.
The coverage of the sample is approximately
one fourth of the number of certificates (c. 156 000)
40 % of the imported coniferous timber assortments
(c. 10 mill. m3).
Information from sample certificates has been
stored to database and divided into variables,
which illustrate the operational environment and
changes within it.
21.09.2011
Results
Timber assortments
Round wood remains the dominant import
assortment until 2009, when it is replaced by
woodchips (including sawdust)
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0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
Roundwood
Woodchips
Sawn timber
Firewood
Other
The amount of exporters and importers
Finnish entrepreneurs want to be ready, if some
kind of business opportunities exist.
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0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
amount
Finnish importers
Registered importers
Russian exporters
Export from Russia
The small and medium sized enterprises are
dominating in volumes although the tendency is
decreasing.
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0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
over 1000
over100
under100
under 10
1
Import to Finland
Import to Finland has been taken care of by few in
number large-scale forest industry companies
until the year 2009.
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0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
over 1000
over100
under100
under 10
1
Origin of wood
Northwest Russia is the main district for
coniferous wood import to Finland. Within the
district Leningrad and Karelia regions are
dominating
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0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
Leningrad
Karelia
Vologda
Novgorod
Murmansk
Arkhangelsk
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0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
Pskov
Tver
Kirov
Perm
Kostroma
Jaroslavl
Krasnojarsk
Komi
Moskova
Nizhegorodsk
Sverdlovsk
Smolensk
Irkutsk
Origin of wood
In other Russian districts the export volumes have
remained below the volumes of Northwest Russia.
Mean of transport
Truck transport has economically been connected
to next to the border areas, which can also be
seen in dominant position of Leningrad and
Karelia regions in origin of wood.
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0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
1000 m3
Truck
Train
Vessel
Official border crossing points
Wood import has been concentrated in
international border crossing points Nuijamaa,
Imatra, Vaalimaa, Vainikkala and Niirala in South-
East Finland.
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0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1000 m3
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
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0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Parikkala Uukuniemi Valkeavaara Ruhovaara Haapavaara Leminaho Inari Karttimo Kurvinen
1000 m3
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Temporary border crossing points
Temporary border crossing points Parikkala, Inari (in
Lieksa) and Ruhovaara seem to be the most busy ones
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0
50
100
150
200
250
Hamina Kotka Loviisa Helsinki Inkoo Rauma Pori Merikarvia Kaskinen Raahe Kemi
1000 m3
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Coastal harbours
Coniferous wood shipments have mainly concentrated
on ports of Kotka, Rauma, Hamina and Kemi
Discussion
Threat and uncertainty for the future of coniferous
wood import caused by phytosanitary certificates and
physical checking seemed not to be realized.
The export duty for coniferous round wood has
decreased the volumes and directed the import from
round wood to
processed wood and by-products (woodchips, sawdust)
wood residue.
In Finland the import of coniferous timber has been
taken care by the large scale forest industry
enterprises until the year 2009
Adaptation of operations to changing operational
environment in Russia and global markets.
21.09.2011
In Russia large-scale enterprises have started to take
care of forestry operations
small and middle sized enterprises have run into
troubles.
Even if the number of Russian exporters has
decreased substantially during the last years, their
amount is still bigger than amount of Finnish importers,
because import has been more clustered.
Increasing import costs have directed wood
procurement even closer to
the Northwest district
the Finnish-Russian border.
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This most probably explains the
domination of truck transportation
smaller volumes of train and
decreasing volumes of vessel transportation.
Domination of international border crossing points in
coniferous timber import.
Pressures to cut down functions in temporary border
crossing points.
Decrease, seasonality, fluctuation between years and
even total ending of import.
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Спасибо за внимание
21.09.2011
Phytosanitary certificate
14.12.2010
Document for international trade which guarantees
Material has been checked
Material does not include dangerous plant
deseases or pests
Material meets the requirements set by EU and
importing countries
It covers whole shipment, i.e. truck, railway vagon
or vessel
14.12.2010
21.09.2011
Study material
Year Total amount of
PCs
Total volume of
coniferous material,
m3
Number of PCs in
sample
Volume in sample,
m3
2005 150 000 (est.) 7 000 000 (est.) 27657 (18,5 %) 2196541 (31,4%)
2006 154046 6 880 551 35200 (22,9 %) 2370304 ( 34,4%)
2007 108879 3 909 669 33737 (31 %) 2083656 (53,3 %)
2008 108140 4 254 103 34643 (32 %) 2008247 (47,2%)
2009 65 542 3 400 000 (est.) 24764 (37,8%) 1321969 (38,9%)
Total 586 625 25 444 323 156001 (26,6%) 9980717 (39,2%)