world news - 19.09.2008
Record timber sales as a consequence of tax exemptions
The
Government's proposal of 23 July to grant total temporary tax exemption
for timber sales from first forest thinning to the end of August and a
50 % exemption for sales from other than first thinning to the end of
2009 has resulted in an unprecedented increase of Finnish timber trade.
In August sales reached an aggregate of 5.3 million cubic metres, which
is more than twice the average quantity sold in August during the
previous decade. 
The proposal of the Finnish Government at the end of July to
introduce partial tax exemption for timber sales resulted in record
sales in August. The quantity of timber sold from private forests
attained record level, i.e. 5.3 million cubic metres.
The quantity sold during the last week of August was 2.6 million cubic
metres. That quantity is considerably greater than in any single week
since 1997 and probably bigger than any other week ever. The most
probably reason for the intense selling is that the tax exemption for
first thinning will expire at the end of August.
If the selling rate in August continues until the end of the year, the
wood processing industry will be able to acquire in 2008 the needed 53
million cubic metres from private forests.
See also:
- — Tax relief also for forest conservation
- — Nordic firms announce structure changes
- — South American industry has mixed year
- — Russia to change face of softwood trade
- — End of tax deduction for first thinning livens up timber sales in Finland in August
