Russia imposes export duties for green lumber

Russia will introduce a duty rate of 10% of the export value – or at least €13/m³ – on exports of softwood lumber with a moisture content of more than 22% from the 1^st of July.

Freshly cut oak lumber is also in the list as a subject to a duty rate of 10% or at least €15/m³. As for beech and ash lumber, a duty rate of 10% or at least €50/m³ applies. Before this, it has been possible to export softwood and oak lumber without any duty; for beech and ash lumber the maximum customs duty rate was €10/m³ and €12/m³ respectively.

This regulation, signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on 21 May, is valid until 31 December for now. But President Vladimir Putin asked his government to make it more difficult to export lumber with low added value. Previously, the government introduced  an export ban concerning softwood logs and hardwood sawlogs, which will come into effect on 1 January 2022.

The introduction of export duties is made to reduce exports and to raise lumber supply on the Russian domestic market. Thus, the trend of increasing lumber prices that started last year is to be reversed again.

Information provided according to www.euwid-wood-products.com