MINSK, 12 February (BelTA) – The timber conversion rate at enterprises of the Belarusian timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industry concern Bellesbumprom reached 92.5% in 2019, the concern's press service told BelTA.
Upgraded Bellesbumprom enterprises increased their output by more than 12 times in 2010-2019. The timber conversion rate rose from 38% in 2006 to 92.5% in 2019. It means that Bellesbumprom enterprises now produce virtually zero waste in the course of timber processing. Proprietary energy generators that use locally available fuels were built as part of the modernization process. The use of imported fuel and energy resources has been nearly halved, with the share of wood fuel at woodworking enterprises past 95%.
The source noted that the modernization has had a considerable effect on the country's woodworking industry. The volume of commercial timber processing in Belarus rose by 2.7 times: from 5.7 million m3 in 2006 to 15.7 million m3 in 2019. Woodworking industry export rose by 2.7 times to $2.3 billion, with its share in Belarus' total export up by 1.9 times (from 3.7% to 6.9%). A steady foreign trade surplus has been secured. It has increased by 4.2 times to $1.3 billion since the modernization began.
Wood-based panels demonstrate the best results. Their export has increased by 5.3 times to $533 million. While in 2006 import exceeded export by $11 million, now export exceeds import by $443 million.
Pulp and paper industry enterprises secured a considerable increase. In 2019 their output rose by 44% in comparison with 2018. The industry's export rose by 23.8% in 2019. Bellesbumprom continues implementing several investment projects in this sphere. New enterprises are being established in Dobrush and Shklov. Once the new enterprises reach their designed output capacity (taking into account Svetlogorsk Pulp and Board Mill), the increase in export will exceed $500 million and import-substituting products worth $48 million will be made. Apart from that, the country's pulp and paper industry will secure a foreign trade surplus of $260 million.
