While windthrown logs remain attached to the roots which leaves some time for processing, beetle infestation calls for immediate action. This makes market-compliant behavior more difficult and volume planning harder. From detection to removal, all steps and measures must happen as quickly as possible to avoid quality losses.
Currently, the market is saturated, and processing and transport capacities are experiencing bottlenecks. "In addition, timber takeover at sawmills is stricter than usual," Land&Forst Betriebe assesses the situation. "The ÖHU-appointed pick-up deadlines of seven days are often not observed. This causes qualities to deteriorate."
The tables show the everyday business life of a forestry operation: All costs of the forestry operation are basically financed by proceeds free of harvesting costs (amount of coverage 1 = timber yield less harvesting costs). And here, the situation dramatically deteriorated. Where the presented operation had yielded €68,000 with 100 harvested sm³, in case of calamity it currently would only yield €50,130. Losses are further increased by the fact that harvesting costs for beetle-infested wood at a price of €26/sm³ are at least €1/sm³ higher. Proceeds free of harvesting costs for the 1000 sm³ forestry business usually amount to €43,800. The current level of €24,130 is by a whole €19,670 less. With this almost halved revenue, the forestry business is now supposed to cover its fixed costs. While previously, the operation needed to sell 868 harvested sm³ (= 87% of the calculated cut) to achieve this, it would currently need 1575 harvested sm³ (=157% of the calculated cut). It is necessary to use the subjunctive ("would ... need") here because in many cases it is not even possible to exceed the calculated cut due to damages. If this is done regardless, the forestry operation jeopardizes its means of existence in the medium term because it would be plundering its reserves.
Either way: We are dealing with a downward spiral. Either forestry businesses are exhausting their economic reserves or their operational assets.
| Basis of calculation: 1,000 harvested sm³; Assumed damaged wood volume Austria 2019: 4 million sm³ of beetle-infested wood | ||||||
Calculated cut: 1,000 harvested sm³ Calculated cut: 6 1,000 harvested sm³/ha Model area: 167 hectares - a harvest volume of 1,000 sm³ (calculated cut) and 6,0 harvested sm³/ha result in an operating area of 167 ha. |
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| Grade | Normal proceeds* | Bark-beetle proceeds** | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal distribution | Pre-Calamity prices | Absolute | Calamity distribution | Post-calamity prices | Absolute | |
| 1ab | 5% | €55.0/sm³ | €2,750 | 4% | €40.0/sm³ | €1,600 |
| ABC | 50% | €92.0/sm³ | €46,000 | 3% | €73.0/sm³ | €22,630 |
| Braun Cx | 15% | €62.0/sm³ | €9,300 | 30% | €45.0/sm³ | €13,500 |
| Industrial wood | 25% | €36.0/sm³ | €9,000 | 25% | €36.0/sm³ | €9,000 |
| Wood fuel (long) | 5% | €35.0/sm³ | €1,750 | 10% | €34,0/sm³ | €3,400 |
| Total for every 1,000 hsm³ | 100% | €68.8/sm³ | €68.800 | 100% | €50.1/sm³ | €50,130 |
| Normal* | Calamity** | Deviation for every 1,000 sm³ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timber yields per sm³ | €68.8/sm³ | €68,800 | €50.1/sm³ | €50,130 | €-18.7 /sm³ | €-18,670 |
| Harvesting costs per sm³ | €25.0/sm³ | €25,000 | €26.0/sm³ | €26,000 | €-1.0/sm³ | €-1,000 |
| DB 1 | €43.8/sm³ | €43,800 | €24.1/sm³ | €24,130 | €-17.7/sm³ | €-19,670 |
| Normal coverage logging | Percentage of CC | Calamity coverage logging | Percentage of CC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel | 137 hsm³ | 13.7% | 249 hsm³ | 24.87% |
| Silviculture | 160 hsm³ | 16.0% | 290 hsm³ | 29.01% |
| Buildings | 91 hsm³ | 9.1% | 166 hsm³ | 16.58% |
| Management | 388 hsm³ | 38.8% | 705 hsm³ | 70.45% |
| Hunt | 91 hsm³ | 9.1% | 166 hsm³ | 16.58% |
| Fixed costs total | 868 hsm³ | 87.0% | 1,575 hsm³ | 157.00% |
