"The reference price of RON 114/sm³ (€24.4/sm³) will be updated without changes for the fifth year in a row," Gheorghe Mihailescu, Romsilva General Director, says. Compared to last year, the final purchase price lost 25% due to the enormous damaged wood accrual in Europe totaling RON169/sm³ (€35.5/sm³). "The Romanian forest is not at risk and, contrary to other countries, was spared major beetle calamities and windthrow," Mihailescu elaborates.
Of the 9.5 sm³/yr of logging, 5.8 million sm³/yr are auctioned and 3.7 million sm³/yr are harvested in Romsilva's own initiative and marketed in accordance with legal directives. "It serves the Romanian population as firewood and will be sold for a price that enables us to remain competitive and not cause any disturbance of the market," Mihailescu is cited by online portal economica.net.
Wood of higher qualities is auctioned to the sawmill and furniture industries. The most important auction dates are between November 1st and December 31st.
Romania owns 6.5 million ha of forest; 3.1 million ha are publicly owned and managed by Romsilva.
