CAN TIMBER IMPORT IN LATVIA FROM RUSSIA AND BELARUS BE REDUCED?

Abstract

Forests provide humanity with essential raw materials, and the demand for these materials is growing, especially in conditions where it is necessary to replace the use of fossil resources with renewable ones. Latvia�s import of timber from Russia and Belarus has increased 8 times in 2021, when comparing 2013, reaching 33% of timber import value. Current geopolitical situation and supply chain sustainability calls for necessity to evaluate possibility to reduce the dependency on the timber import from Russia and Belarus. The aim of the research is to determine whether with existing growth and felling rates of forests in Latvia are sufficient to reduce timber imports from Russia and Belarus, to calculate the possible reduction rate and define the necessary steps for its implementation. Research results indicate that with current theoretical growth rates of main forest tree species, it is possible to increase the felling rates to the level that residual growth stock of the tree species to remain as it was in 2019. Research results shows that it would reduce 2021 import volume from Russia and Belarus to less than 20% from current 33% in the value of total timber imports. In long run it is possible to increase forest yields with using more intense forest growing management.