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forest certification in developing and transitioning countries
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Forest production in Latvia consists mostly of Scots pine (29 percent), birch (28
percent), and Norway spruce (23 percent), with some aspen (10 percent), white alder
(8 percent) and other species (2 percent). Latvia has a strong export-oriented forest
and wood processing industry, producing sawn timber, plywood, veneer, fiberboard
and particleboard, glue laminated articles and furniture. Wood processing and
logging operations are fully privatized. The main export markets for Latvia are in
Europe, UK being a leading market for sawn timber, plywood and wood based panels.
According to government statistics, 80 percent of Latvia’s timber production is
exported, with 48 percent of total exports going to the European Union. This
accounts for 40 percent of the national export economy. The majority of forest
exports consist of sawn wood, furniture, firewood and roundwood. The forestry
import volume comprises 1.3 percent of Latvia’s total imports. The majority of
forestry imports consist of cellulose, paper products and furniture.
Table 3
Forest sector export and import comparison
Product Export Import
1000 (units) 1000 USD 1000 (units) 1000 USD
Sawn wood 3253 (m 3 ) 524,381 460 (m 3 ) 54,515
Conifer 2621 (m 3 ) 437,245 380 (m 3 ) 51,712
Hardwood 632 (m 3 ) 87,136 80 (m 3 ) 2803
Roundwood 3922 (m 3 ) 131,417 459 (m 3 ) 25919
Conifer 1765 (m 3 ) 61,838 279 (m 3 ) 12,756
Hardwood 2158 (m 3 ) 69,579 180 (m 3 ) 13,163
Furniture 116,016 42,470
Fuelwood 2171 (t) 89,181 6 (t) 285
Wood chips 1307 (t) 47,599 1 (t) 47
Plywood 147 (m 3 ) 85,735 7 (m 3 ) 2,057
Joinery manufacture 90 (t) 79,175 4 (t) 7,759
Veneer 14 (m 3 ) 17,575 1 (m 3 ) 1,554
Chipboard 130 (m 3 ) 16,263 50 (m 3 ) 12,893
Hardboard 30 (m 2 ) 65 3582 (m 2 ) 10,087
Source: www.zm.gov.lv
yale school of forestry & environmental studies