Belarus' lumber export has reached its all-time high, Forestry Minister Aleksandr Kulik told Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at a meeting on 24 August, BelTA has learned.
According to Aleksandr Kulik, the Forestry Ministry restructured its work amidst the sanctions in June 2022. Before the sanctions, 60,000 cubic meters of lumber was exported monthly. The export dropped insignificantly in July 2022 when the sanctions were imposed. But now the lumber export bounced back to reach an all-time high of 77,000 cubic meters, the minister said.
Before the sanctions, the EU countries were the main sales markets for Belarusian lumber accounting for 56% of the country's lumber export. After the lumber export to the EU was discontinued, the main consumers were China (52%, previously 37%), Azerbaijan (24%, previously 4%) and Russia (6%).
We have occupied this niche, and most importantly, the export rose both in terms of volume and value. Over seven months, we shipped products worth $90.4 million, said Aleksandr Kulik.
