Timber Industry Complex of Russia

Main article: Russian economy

The world's largest forest area

As of 2019, Russia has the largest forest area in the world (about 8.15 million. Km2). About 50% of the territory of Russia is covered with forests.

Forest areas on the map of Russia for 2010

Digitalization in the forest industry

Main article: Digitalization of the forest industry

2024

Pulp and cardboard mill launched in Irkutsk region for ₽100 billion

On October 10, 2024, it became known that in Ust-Ilimsk, Irkutsk Region, the official launch of a new pulp and cardboard mill (CCC) took place, investments in which amounted to about ₽100 billion. The project was implemented by the Ilim group and has become one of the largest in the timber industry in Russia in recent years. Read more [[Ust-Ilim Pulp and Cardboard Mill 'here]

In Russia, they began to cut down trees with a laser

In the Novgorod region, the TRINITI ES mobile laser complex was used. This was announced on April 3, 2024 by Rosatom. Read more here.

2023

Growth of the chipboard market for 5 years by 57.4% to 90.4 billion rubles

The volume of the Russian chipboard market in the period from 2019 to 2023 increased from 57.5 billion rubles to 90.4 billion rubles. Thus, the growth over the five-year period was 57.4%. Such data are reflected in the review of the GuideMarket company, published on July 7, 2024.

It is noted that the industry in question suffered due to the sanctions imposed in the current geopolitical situation. However, already in 2023 on the market of chipboard and similar wood products, the quality of products is restored to the previous standards. Russian manufacturers were able to quickly develop new chemical compositions for the woodworking industry, replacing the products of foreign suppliers who left the Russian Federation.

source = GuideMarket

According to estimates, in 2019 the volume of the chipboard market in Russia was 5.9 million cubic meters in the amount of 57.5 billion rubles. In 2020, there was a drop to 5.7 million cubic meters due to an increase in exports by 31.4%. However, thanks to the increase in prices, the cash volume rose by 12.7% - to 64.8 billion rubles. In 2021, the size of the industry in physical terms increased by 13.7% - to 6.4 million cubic meters, in monetary terms - by 37.8%, reaching 89.2 billion rubles. The positive dynamics is explained by an increase in production and a decrease in exports.

In 2022, the market experienced a short-term decline due to sanctions and a reduction in production, which decreased by 6.8%, amounting to about 6 million cubic meters. But already in 2023, the industry began to recover: the physical volume reached 7.1 million cubic meters (plus 18.9% year-on-year), and the monetary volume - 90.4 billion rubles, exceeding the indicators of 2021. The main growth factors are activity in the construction industry and furniture production, as well as an increase in imports by 60.2% compared to the previous year.^[1]

Named the top 10 largest timber companies in Russia

In 2023, the volume of production of products of the timber industry (LPK) in Russia amounted to approximately 2.96 trillion rubles. For comparison, a year earlier this figure was estimated at 3.09 trillion rubles, and in 2021 - at 3.24 trillion rubles. The corresponding data are reflected in the review of the audit and consulting group "Business Profile," published on March 13, 2024.

It is noted that the Russian LPK is an export-oriented industry. The domestic consumption of forest products is relatively small and without supplies to other countries, the existence of a full-fledged industry is impossible. Therefore, the formed geopolitical situation led to a deterioration in the financial performance of domestic LPK enterprises. In particular, according to experts, the revenue of Russian companies in 2022 fell by 10% compared to 2021 - to 2.6 trillion rubles. Net profit decreased by 35% year-on-year, amounting to 307 billion rubles. The total revenue of 50 leading timber companies in Russia in 2022 exceeded 1 trillion rubles.

Ilim Group became the largest timber company in Russia in 2022 with revenue of 183.7 billion rubles. In second place is the Segezha Group, which received 106.8 billion rubles. Closes the top three Sveza Group with an indicator of 98.5 billion rubles. In addition, the top 10 at the end of 2022 included:

· Mondi SLPK - 78 billion rubles;

· Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill - 44.6 billion rubles;

· "Kronoshpan" - 40.9 billion rubles;

· Group of Companies "ULK" - 24.4 billion rubles;

· "Egger" - 23.9 billion rubles;

· SFT Group - 22.5 billion rubles;

· Vologda timber industry - 22.4 billion rubles.

It is also noted that after the loss of European customers, most enterprises of the Russian LPK managed to quickly replace sales markets with Asian ones. The share of such countries in terms of the export of lumber from Russia reached 98%, while in 2021 it did not exceed 76%.^[2]

Growth in exports of valuable wood species by 2.5%

In 2023, Russia increased by 2.5% the supply of valuable wood species abroad. At the same time, in comparison with 2022, when the export of such wood increased by 8.7%, the dynamics slowed down significantly. This is evidenced by the data of Roslesinforg, published on April 11, 2024.

According to Vedomosti, after the European Union imposed an embargo on the supply of Russian wood, including plywood, slab and pellet products, the export of these products from the Russian Federation decreased somewhat. However, this served to increase supplies to the domestic market to 60% against 20-30% a year earlier.

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Roslesinforg draws attention to the fact that unprocessed wood, which was previously exported to Europe, is being deeply processed, for example, at furniture enterprises. Despite this, the volume of valuable wood logging in Russia is kept at the same level and amounts to 1.5 million cubic meters. Basically, in 2023, oak, beech, ash and stone birch were harvested by enterprises of the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories (341.7 thousand and 93.6 thousand cubic meters, respectively), as well as LPK of the Republic of Adygea (29.9 thousand m3).

Valuable tree species in the Russian Federation include ash, oak, beech, stone birch and other species. They are used to produce furniture, finishing materials, lumber, and also make wine barrels from them. Valuable tree species are valued for their expressiveness of texture, hardness, shape stability, resistance to loads, moisture resistance and other characteristics. According to Valentin Gavrilov, director of the Strategy Partners LPC practice, it is much more profitable to produce consumer goods such as premium furniture from valuable wood.

After Russia was banned from supplying valuable wood to the EU, the main exports are sent to Asian countries such as China, Turkey, and the Gulf countries.^[3]

Growth of chipboard production by 12% to 11.6 million conventional cubic meters

At the end of 2023, the production of particle boards (chipboard) in Russia reached 11.6 million conventional cubic meters. This is 12% more compared to the previous year, as stated in the report of the Association of Furniture and Woodworking Enterprises (AMDPR), published in mid-February 2024.

In 2023, chipboard production in the Russian Federation increased amid growing demand in the domestic market. Consumption of wood boards, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, rose by 18.4% compared to 2022. Due to the relatively low cost, such products are in demand both in the field of individual construction, including for frame and shield houses, and in the field of furniture production. The AMDPR study says that after the recession in 2022, furniture production in Russia is rapidly gaining momentum. The segments of kitchen and office furniture demonstrate the highest growth rates.

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If in May [2023] the growth rate [of chipboard production] was 31%, and in June - as much as 45%, then in October they slowed down to 17%. Nevertheless, the absolute indicators of chipboard output continue to increase, - said in the AMDPR report.

Roslesinforg notes that private wooden housing construction contributes to an increase in demand for chipboard. Particle boards are actively used in the production and decoration of such dwellings. In 2023, the factory production of wooden houses in the Russian Federation increased by 22% compared to 2022 - up to 247 thousand square meters. At the same time, the export of chipboard in 2023 decreased by 3.8% on an annualized basis.

Analysts believe that the volume of chipboard production in Russia will continue to grow. In 2024, an increase of 5% is expected compared to 2023 and by 7% compared to pre-sanction 2021 - up to 12.2 million conventional cubic meters.^[4]

Decrease in the volume of investments of enterprises of the forestry complex by 4.8% to 188.8 billion rubles due to problems with the export of lumber

In 2023, the volume of investments of forestry enterprises amounted to approximately 188.8 billion rubles. This is 4.8% less than in the previous year, when the figure was 198.4 billion rubles. Such data on March 25, 2024 leads Roslesinforg.

It is said that the size of investments of forestry enterprises in 2023 is comparable to the level of 2021, when investments were estimated at 189.1 billion rubles. Then large timber merchants began to implement large-scale investment projects against the background of super profits due to the imbalance in demand and supplies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued their implementation in 2022. Some reduction in 2023 is due to problems with the export of lumber.

source = Roslesinforg

Most of the investments were spent on the purchase of specialized equipment - 119.3 billion rubles, or 63.2% of the total. More than a quarter of the costs (52.7 billion rubles, 27.9%) fell on infrastructure facilities - buildings, structures, power supply systems, water supply, sanitation, gas supply, communications, outdoor lighting. 14.9 billion rubles, or about 7.9%, were invested in the renewal of the fleet of vehicles in 2023. Another 1.9 billion rubles are allocated for the purchase of intellectual property objects: inventions, utility models, industrial designs, computer programs and databases, trademarks, copyright objects.

At the same time, timber companies are increasing investments in deep processing, primarily in pulp and paper production and furniture production. In particular, investments in the production of pulp and paper products in 2023 reached a historic maximum of 125.4 billion rubles (an increase of 29.4% on an annualized basis), furniture - 9.4 billion rubles (plus 30% year-on-year).

Most forest investments were attracted to the Siberian Federal District - 68.5 billion rubles, or 36.3% of the all-Russian, an increase by 2022 of about a third. 47.2 billion rubles (25%) were invested in the Central Federal District, 36.9 billion rubles (19.5%) in the Northwestern Federal District, and 26.2 billion rubles (13.9%) in the Volga Federal District. The share of the Far East is 2.6% (5 billion rubles), the Urals - 1.75% (3.3 billion rubles).^[5]

98% of Russian lumber exports are in Asia

98% of Russian lumber exports in 2023 fell on Asia against 87% a year earlier and 76% in 2021. Such data in Roslesinforg were published in early February 2024.

According to the organization's materials, the main partner Russia remains, China where in 2023 about 13 million cubic meters of lumber were taken from the Russian Federation, the indicator remained at the level of 2022. In second place - Uzbekistan more than 2 cubic meters were exported, which is 8% more than in 2022. Closes the top three - Kazakhstan 926 thousand cubic meters, which is 17% higher than the result of 2022. The top ten importers included,,,, and Azerbaijan. Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan Iran Korea Hong Kong

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The largest export of Russian lumber in 2023 grew to Turkey - 2.3 times. It is followed by Kyrgyzstan (+ 36%), South Korea (+ 28%) and Egypt. Supplies to Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, UAE, Lebanon, Vietnam and India have increased significantly. The growth of exports to these countries was due to the highly competitive ability of our timber products and its demand among partners from friendly countries. The effectiveness of state measures played an important role. First of all, we are talking about subsidies for the transportation of products through the seaports of the North-Western Federal District, noted in Roslesinforg.

The total supply of lumber from Russia abroad at the end of 2023 reached 20.7 million cubic meters, which is 10% less than in 2022, according to the final calculations of Roslesinforg. In 2022, the volume of lumber exports amounted to 23 million cubic meters. The top ten importers of Russian processed wood then included China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan,, Estonia Tajikistan,,, Japan Singapore Iran and. Finland^[6]

Russian companies for the year put a record volume of plywood in China

Deliveries of Russian plywood to the Chinese market in 2023 reached 239 thousand cubic meters, which is 2.1 times more than a year earlier. Exports turned out to be a record, compared to 2021, they grew 3.3 times. This is evidenced by the data of Roslesinforg, published in early February 2024. Read more here.

Timber transportation in Russia increased by 12.9% to 355.7 million cubic meters

Timber transportation in Russia in 2023 increased by 12.9% - to 355.7 million cubic meters from 315 million in 2022. On average, up to 1 million cubic meters of forest were transported to the Russian Federation every day. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation published such data on January 10, 2024, referring to the Unified State Automated Information System for Accounting for Wood and Transactions with It (LesEGAIS).

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, at the end of 2023, LesEGAIS formed over 7.6 million electronic accompanying documents (ESD) for the transportation of wood, which is slightly more than a year ago (7.5 million). According to the deputy head of Rosleskhoz Vyacheslav Spirenkov, the increase in the number of documents in LesEGAIS is associated with a decrease in cases of illegal transportation. He believes that this is a consequence of the modernization of the wood accounting model and increased control over the export of forest products from the territories of forest farms, processing sites and warehouses.

Timber shipments up 12.9% in 2023

The Ministry of Natural Resources reminds that the transportation of wood and lumber in Russia is possible only if there is an electronic accompanying document (ESD), which is drawn up through LesEGAIS. The change in legislation was aimed at "whitewashing" the industry and controlling the turnover of wood - from harvesting to its processing or export.

Valentin Gavrilov, director of Strategy Partners LPK practice, believes that by the end of 2023, the volume of logging in Russia decreased by about 15%, to 165 million cubic meters. In 2022, according to WhatWood, logging amounted to 195 million cubic meters. The Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasizes that timber companies have not reduced interest in investments, and new projects are being actively launched in Russia and old ones are being completed.^[7]

Reduction of lumber exports from Russia by 7% to 25 million cubic meters

The volume of exports of lumber and roundwood from Russia at the end of 2023 amounted to 25 million cubic meters against 27 million a year earlier (-7%). Such data in Roslesinforg were published at the end of December 2023.

According to RIA Novosti with reference to the organization's materials, in 2023, Russian wood was sent to more than 50 directions, while half of them recorded an increase in supplies. The greatest dynamics falls on Turkey - 2.3 times up to 280 thousand cubic meters, UAE - by 64% to 490 thousand cubic meters, Hong Kong - by 43% to 600 thousand cubic meters, Kyrgyzstan - by 40% to 418 thousand cubic meters, South Korea - by 27% to 314,4 thousand cubic meters, Kazakhstan - by 21% to 1.1 million cubic meters, as well as Iran - by 17% to 426 thousand cubic meters.

Annual exports of lumber from Russia decreased

The main partner is traditionally China. About 14 million cubic meters of lumber and round timber were sent here, Roslesinforg reported. At the same time, for lumber, there was an increase in volumes by 3%, unprocessed wood, as expected, fell by a quarter. Uzbekistan is in second place - more than 2 million cubic meters from growth by about 5%, Kazakhstan closes the top three - more than 1.1 million cubic meters from growth by 21%. At the same time, Kazakhstan saw an increase in the supply of round timber - by 46% to 251 thousand cubic meters, the volume of lumber supplies increased by 15% to 883 thousand cubic meters. The top ten areas also included Azerbaijan, Hong Kong, UAE, Tajikistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Singapore.

Among the Russian regions, the leaders in terms of supply volumes in 2023 were the Irkutsk region, the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Komi Republic, the Khabarovsk Territory and the Arkhangelsk Region. Among the companies - ULK Group of Companies LLC from the Arkhangelsk Region - the company's share in the total structure of forest exports is about 3%, the main counterparties are China, South Korea, Turkey, Israel. In second place is Tairiku-Igirma Group LLC from the Irkutsk Region, sending lumber to China, Korea and Kazakhstan - the company's share reaches 2%. Another 2% is occupied by Lesosibirsky LDK No. 1 from the Krasnoyarsk Territory, which supplies products to China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, the UAE and Singapore^[8]

2022

Decrease in fuel wood sales by 8.8% to 11.6 million dense m³

The volume of the Russian fuel wood market in 2022 amounted to 11.6 million dense cubic meters, which is 8.8% less than a year ago. Relative to 2018, sales of these products decreased by 18.6%, according to a study by BusinesStat, which was published in October 2023.

Analysts attributed the fall in the fuel wood market to continued urbanization, global warming and competition with other fuels. Wood is widely used in many regions, especially in rural areas. Wood fuel refers to environmentally friendly energy sources. In addition, for a number of citizens belonging to the preferential category, there are subsidies for the purchase of firewood. However, in recent years, consumers have increasingly switched to other fuels, according to a report released in October 2023.

Thus, gas as heating is cheaper and does not require labor, which is associated with the use of firewood. The high energy consumption of coal allows you to heat the furnace only once a day, and its storage takes up less space. In addition to coal and gas, other wood processing products compete with fuel wood, for example, Eurodrova (pressed sawdust), pellets, as well as wood chips and chips. It does not contribute to the restoration of demand for fuel wood and its annual rise in price: manufacturers are forced to raise prices in response to increased costs for harvesting, reforestation and rising rents for forest plots.

Fuel wood is measured in dense cubic meters. Dense cubic meter (density m3) - a unit of wood volume without taking into account air gaps between logs, logs, etc. Such wood can be in the form of logs and logs.^[9]

Pellet production in Russia fell by 19.6%, to 2.07 million tons

The production of pellets (fuel pellets from wood processing waste Russia) in 2022 amounted to 2.07 million tons, which is 19.6% less than a year earlier. This follows from the statistics of the Union of Timber and Timber Exporters, which refers to the data (Rosstat released in early February 2023).

The largest drop in pellet production in 2022 was observed in the Northwestern Federal District - by 32% to 789,100 tons. And in the Far Eastern Federal District, the production of pellets, on the contrary, increased 1.5 times to 341,100 tons. According to the federal forest accounting institution Roslesinforg, the production of pellets in the Far East increased by about 30% in 2022. The representative of the organization, in a conversation with Vedomosti, stressed that Roslesinforg and Rosstat consider the data of the timber industry to be different.

Pellets are biofuels derived from peat, wood waste and agricultural waste

According to the analytical agency WhatWood, in 2022 the volume of pellet exports from Russia decreased by 24%, to 1.8 million tons. The main blow to the industry was European restrictive measures, as a result of which exports to the European Union (EU) fell by half, to 929 thousand tons.

The representative of Roslesinforg noted that earlier Russian manufacturers mainly supplied fuel to Europe, occupying about 10% of imports there. Exports to the countries of Scandinavia were especially active. Now sales to South Korea are growing (in 2022 - 555 thousand tons, which is 3.5 times more than in 2021).

The most difficult situation has developed in the northwest, from where it is economically unprofitable to transport fuel to Asia. Vice-President of the Union of Timber and Timber Exporters of Russia Andrei Frolov explained that the domestic market does not need such a number of pellets. In turn, WhatWood consultant Igor Novoselov added that, not finding sales markets for their products, enterprises in the region are forced to reduce loading or stop production.^[10]

Lumber exports from Russia decreased by 20.8%

In 2022, exports of coniferous and deciduous lumber from Russia decreased by 20.8%, to 23 million cubic meters. m. This is evidenced by the data of Roslesinforg, which were published at the end of January 2023. information of the department, unfriendly countries have reduced purchases of Russian lumber by about half.

More than half of the supplies fell on China, where 13.087 million cubic meters were sent. m, or 7% lower than in 2021. The second largest buyer of lumber from Russia in 2022 was Uzbekistan, which imported 1.9 million cubic meters from Russia. m of lumber, which corresponds to the level of 2021. Last year, 0.762 million cubic meters were shipped to Kazakhstan. m, which is 6.5% lower than in 2021. Azerbaijan reduced purchases of Russian lumber by almost a quarter - to 0.602 million cubic meters. m.

In 2022, the export of lumber (board, bar, veneer, funkrage) from Russia decreased by 20.8%

The countries European Union stopped purchasing Russian lumber in July 2022 after the fifth sanctions package, introduced after the start of Russia's special operation on, came into force. To Ukraine Before the imposition of sanctions Estonia , it was among the main consumers of Russian lumber and purchased more than 250 thousand cubic meters. m quarterly (1.11 million cubic meters) m in 2021), the press service of Roslesinforg notes. At the end of 2022, exports to this country halved, to 0.507 million cubic meters. m. Deliveries Finland to also decreased by more than half, to 393 million cubic meters. m.

Against the background of the introduction of Western sanctions in 2022, the export of Russian lumber was redirected to the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. According to Roslesinforg, the volume of total exports in this direction increased by 17.84%, to 1.2 million cubic meters. m, compared to 2021. The UAE increased imports of Russian lumber by 83%, Iran - by 75%, Jordan - by 45%.^[11]

The volume of investments in timber processing in Russia has reached a peak

Capital expenditures of large and medium-sized enterprises of the timber industry (LPK) in 2022 reached 184-189 billion rubles, which is 1-4% more than a year ago. This was reported in January 2023 at the Federal Forest Accounting Institution Roslesinforg.

According to him, in 2022, capacity was introduced to produce more than 450 thousand cubic meters of lumber in 10 regions, the largest in terms of capacity - in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Sverdlovsk Region, Primorsky Territory. Other large capacities for the production of 616.5 million pieces of hygiene products were introduced in the Kaluga, Kurgan regions and Primorsky Krai, 60 million sq.m. cardboard boxes began to be produced in the Krasnodar Territory.

The volume of investments in forest processing in 2022 reached a peak

According to Roslesinforg's estimates, investments in the Russian forestry industry grew by more than 15% in the nine months of 2022, to 140 billion rubles. Almost half, 66.5 billion rubles, or 47.83% of the total investment, falls on the production of paper and paper products.

In second place in terms of investments is wood processing and the production of wood products, which accounted for more than 56.7 billion rubles, or 40.8% of the total. Next comes logging - 10.7 billion rubles or 7.7%, and furniture production with 5.1 billion rubles or 3.67%. At the same time, investment volumes in the last two segments are decreasing compared to the results of the corresponding period last year: investment in logging fell by 5.8%, and in furniture - by 10.3%. Investments in woodworking industries increased the most, and they have been growing for the third year in a row and have doubled since 2019, by 30.2 billion rubles, reaching 56.7 billion rubles.

The leaders in terms of investments in the timber industry among the regions in January - September 2022 were the Irkutsk region - 28.1 billion rubles, the Kaluga region - 23.15 billion rubles, Karelia - 9.45 billion rubles, the Vologda region - 7.13 billion rubles, the Komi Republic - 6 billion rubles.^[12]

Wood exports from Russia decreased by 10%

In 2022, Russia delivered 10% less wood abroad than in 2021. Such data in Roslesinforg (subordinate to Rosleskhoz) were disclosed on December 14, 2022. According to the representative of the organization, the fall could be more significant, but manufacturers even from the western regions managed to establish export in the eastern direction.

Roslesinforg suggested that over the next five years, supplies to Asia could grow by 15% due to investments in infrastructure projects in China and the easing of restrictions related to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Wood exports from Russia in 2022 decreased by 10%

The closure of exports to the EU complicates the sale of high-grade larch, which has traditionally been sent to the European market, Ivan Valentik, general director of Kraslesinvest, told Vedomosti. Over the past two months, logistics have risen significantly and slowed down due to restrictions on domestic demand in China related to the coronavirus and the capacity of border crossings, he says. The price of finished products is approaching the cost of lumber production, while the price of transportation by sea from Russia has increased two to three times, Valentik notes. The company is negotiating with potential partners in the CIS and is working on the possibility of deliveries to the Middle East by land, explains the top manager.

In November 2022, Roslesinforg reported that in 2022 the supply of plywood and veneer to China from Russia increased 1.5-2 times (from 57.37 thousand to 82.81 thousand cubic meters. m). In monetary terms, supplies increased from $35 million to $56.2 million, which the department explained by the loss of direct supplies to European and North American markets.

In 2019-2020, the average cost of wood was $177-178 per 1 cubic meters. m., in 2021 - $210. According to the results of nine months of 2022, a cubic meter of wood costs $234.^[13]

2021: FSIN leads the growth of forest harvesting

In terms of growth in forest harvesting, the FSIN was ahead of all the largest timber holdings in Russia. With the help of the labor of prisoners in the country, it was possible to harvest 1.85 million cubic meters of wood - 22.7% more than a year earlier.

2018: Growth in lumber exports

In 2018, Russia continued to reduce the export of round timber and increase the export of lumber. The volume of foreign supplies of these products in 2018 almost equaled - 19.03 million m3 (-2.1%) and 18.7 million m3 (+ 14.9%), respectively. The country's share in the lumber market China has grown to 63%, according to the study "Results of the LPC for Russia 2018," prepared by the Lesprom Network analytical service.

The production of pellets in Russia in 2018 increased by 4.9% to 1410 thousand tons - this is a new historical record. Production has been growing for the sixth year in a row. At the same time, Russia increased its share in the market of the European Union, the largest consumer of fuel pellets, by only 0.9 pp. Deliveries of pellets to the European Union in 2018 increased by 19.1%. The United States and Canada increased their shares here by 9 pp and 2.7 pp, respectively.

At the end of 2018, the total OSB production capacity in Russia reached about 2 million m3. In 2018, 1.2 million m3 of plates were produced in Russia, and consumption amounted to 1.3 million m3.

As noted in the study, in 2018, newsprint production in Russia increased by 6.2%, to 1.53 million tons. The increase in production occurred for the first time in the last 4 years.

In 2018, the Russian government continued to implement a policy to reduce exports of unprocessed wood and stimulate domestic consumption of LPK products. According to the report, the main events of 2018 in the LPK were:

• Adoption of the "Strategy for the Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2030"
• creation of a new department of forest and light industry in the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation,
• appointment of a new head of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation,
• raising the bar for priority investment projects,
• new initiatives states to strengthen control over exporters.

Notes