From Oak to Willow: How much firewood costs for the population and how the state fights the black market
18 November 16:52
EXCLUSIVE
For the past three years, Ukrainians have been living in the reality of increased demand for firewood, both due to energy challenges and the desire to have a stable source of heat for the winter. Despite this, prices for the population remain unchanged: fixed and affordable, the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” assures in a commentary to [comersant].
“In general, the cost of firewood is fixed. It has been stable since last year. There is a preferential price for households. For commercial institutions, it is much more expensive. Hardwoods – logs up to 1.9 meters long – cost UAH 1,020 including VAT.
Hardwood species: oak, hornbeam, acacia, ash, maple. These are the most popular species due to the fact that they have the highest heat transfer.
Then, the second group is firewood. It includes conifers and alder. The cost is UAH 744 per cubic meter.
Softwoods are in the least demand. Because they burn quickly and give off the least heat. This includes linden, aspen, poplar, willow. The purchase price is UAH 744. This is a preferential price, meaning that it does not include delivery, does not include the load at the harvesting site. For comparison, the price of this species for commercial institutions is about UAH 1000-1200,” said Bohdan Borokh, head of the sales department of the Central Forest Office branch of the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”.
The Central Forestry Office emphasizes that the state maintains the priority of providing citizens and social institutions with firewood. According to Bohdan Borokh, head of the sales department, firewood is enough for everyone – from households to hospitals and schools.
“Currently, there is an increase in demand for firewood, but the situation is under control. That is, there is enough firewood for everyone, both commercial institutions and households. First of all, we give priority to the population, we provide everyone with firewood, and additionally participate in tender purchases made by social institutions, such as hospitals, schools, kindergartens, city councils, and village councils.
That is why we also participate there, trying to reach the most vulnerable segments of the population and give them priority,” said Bohdan Borokh.
According to him, while commercial institutions are guided by auction prices, the population can count on a stable price at least until the end of the year.
“For households, the price is fixed, and there will definitely be no rise in price by the end of the year. For commercial institutions, the sale takes place only through auction bidding, and at auction bidding, everything goes up to increase the price,” the expert explained.
At the same time, Bohdan Borokh emphasized that the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” controls the market, fighting illegal schemes, and the system of labeling, electronic invoices and photo fixation makes the process as transparent as possible.
“Illegal timber… I can say that the State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” is fighting against it. To do this, we are the only major producer, if it can be called that, of wood. We provide an official document, a consignment note, which can be checked by anyone through the website, using the number of the consignment note. Enter the number there and it will indicate specifically that this wood is official.
Then our timber has a tag on it, which means that we can read the full information on this tag, where this timber was harvested, and during what period of harvesting. That is, the full information is written on this tag. So any person who sees wood being transported, whether it’s just lying in a warehouse or in someone’s yard, can simply write down this tag number and check whether the wood is legal.
In addition, there is a photographic record, which means that when the wood is released, the loaded machine is photographed from four sides. This is also a mechanism for verifying the legality of wood. That is, using the same documents, a person will not be able to import some wood two or three times, because it will not correspond… even if he or she breaks a tag, the photo fixation will still show that the logs are stacked in the wrong order, the wrong species or something else is loaded. That is, the State Enterprise “Forests” of Ukraine exercises control over this as transparently as possible,” summarized Bohdan Borokh.
Experts advise not to take risks and not to collect wood on your own: you can find out about officially authorized areas for collecting wood or buy firewood legally at forestry enterprises. The law strictly protects natural resources, so even an “innocent” collection can result in a fine.
