Critical situation in Primorye forestry industry discussed in Vladivostok
A working meeting between Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, and timber industry workers from Primorsky Krai was held in Vladivostok. The meeting discussed the situation in the industry and the use of forest resources, which raises serious concerns.
Yuri Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation: “Forests in the Russian Federation are used to a much lesser extent than in other forest countries. In addition, there is a slight downward trend. In the first quarter of this year, timber harvesting in Primorsky Krai decreased by 11%, and exports decreased even more — accordingly, tax revenues from industry enterprises to the regional budget amounted to 3%. There were a number of speeches on the topic of more effective regulation of the industry, but so far there have been no major changes. We need to make sure that forests in Russia, like all other resources, are used as efficiently as possible.".
One of the main issues was the unsatisfactory performance of forest management work by the Primorsky branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Roslesinforg". As was announced at the meeting, the institution concluded 19 contracts for forest taxation on an area of 330 thousand hectares, but the obligations were not fulfilled. The funds were spent, and some of the work did not even begin, which led to a cash gap and undermined the confidence of tenants.
Also, since 2020, the branch has remained in debt under the contract for the establishment of rural forests on 50 thousand hectares at the expense of the regional budget. And the results of the 2023 state assignment in the Ussuri forestry (127 thousand hectares) require revision.
Although the institution is taking steps to correct the situation (hiring new employees, negotiating with tenants), the meeting participants agreed that intervention at the federal level is necessary.
Yuri Trutnev instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia to prepare proposals for the transition to remote forest inventory methods using aerial photography and satellite data. According to him, due to weak management, businesses cannot lease plots, and investors are losing interest in the region.
