OREANDA-NEWS. September 24, 2012. Belarus is expected to get ten wood processing facilities up and running by 2015, Forestry Minister Mikhail Amelyanovich told.

The minister referred to President Lukashenko’s instruction to stop export of round timber by 2015 and to shift the focus on processing.

In a bid to improve the efficiency of the timber industry, it is necessary to manufacture export-oriented products with higher value added. By 2015 ten processing companies will be put into operation: eight by Bellesbumprom Concern, one by Kronospan (Austria) and another one will operate in the free economic zone Mogilev, Amelyanovich said.

The minister mentioned two projects: Ivatsevichy, to be commissioned in September 2012 to process 800,000 cubic meters of timber; and an USD 800 million investment project in Svetlogorsk.

The Forestry Industry of Belarus is interested in setting up timber processing enterprises with the help of foreign investors, Amelyanovich said.

"Foreign investors are very serious about us. Most of them would like to produce firewood (fuel briquettes, wood chips, etc). Those are investors from Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic and other countries. The interest in setting up joint ventures has been demonstrated by Scandinavian businessmen. In Scandinavia these technologies are already generating good profits," Amelyanovich said. The minister underlined that the forestry industry of Belarus is open to all investors. "We consider all proposals. However, Belarus should be able to benefit from this cooperation," he added.