Russia extends prohibitive export duties on rough lumber to end of 2025

MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax) - Russia has extended prohibitive export duties on soft and hard wood rough-sawn lumber with moisture content of more than 22%, which has been used as cover for exporting unprocessed timber, for three years until December 31, 2025.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed the relevant resolution and it has been posted on the official portal for legal information.

"The decision is aimed at continuing the set of measures to decriminalize and develop the forestry sector. It is necessary to develop deep processing of timber within the country and production of products with high added value," Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko was quoted as saying in a statement on the extension of the duty issued by her office.

The higher duties apply to exports of certain types of lumber with moisture content of more than 22% and thickness and width of more than 10 cm. The duty is 200 euros per cubic meter for soft wood beams, 250 euros for beech beams, 300 euros for ash beams and 370 euros for oak beams, Abramchenko's office recalled.

The export duty on soft wood lumber is 10% but not less than 13 euros per cubic meter, while the duty on oak lumber is 10% but not less than 15 euros, and the duty on beech and ash lumber is 10% but not less than 50 euros.

The Russian government approved a resolution in November 2021 to impose essentially prohibitive export duties on rough forest products from January 2 to December 31, 2022 in order to restrict exports of unprocessed timber under the guise of lumber (so-called 'cover goods'). Russia has almost completely prohibited exports of unprocessed soft and hard wood timber since January 1, 2022; it can be shipped out only through two checkpoints on the borders with Finland and North Korea.