Lesy Ukrainy State Enterprise set another record and sold UAH 8.9 billion worth of unprocessed timber in April-June, according to the company’s CEO Yuriy Bolokhovets on his Facebook page.
“Lesy Ukrainy increased revenues to the state and local budgets by 40%! Tax payments in the first half of the year grew by more than UAH 1.7 billion compared to the same period in 2024,” he emphasized.
Bolochovets noted that the state-owned enterprise uses its after-tax profits to purchase new firefighting equipment (10 large fire trucks are planned in the near future), developing modern seed centers and infrastructure (forest roads, recreational areas, etc.), restoring forestry in de-occupied territories, and mechanizing harvesting (harvesters, forwarders, tractors, etc.).
He highly praised the effect of the six-month forward contracts, under which buyers selected all the timber, which made it possible to achieve 101% of the planned volume.
“Thanks to forward contracts, wood processors can reserve the volume of raw materials they need and fix the price. The company also benefits. The guarantee deposit, which is returned only after 97% of the contract has been fulfilled, motivates buyers to select the entire contracted volume of products. Next year, the share of forward contracts will be increased, with annual contracts planned,” he wrote.
In addition, Lesy Ukrainy has already shipped more than 95% of timber under quarterly contracts for the second quarter. Most of the non-fulfillments are the fault of buyers who either refuse to accept the goods or fail to pay on time.
The state-owned enterprise noted that it pursues a flexible policy on mutual settlements, realizing that producers may experience difficulties with working capital, as they do not immediately receive payment for the timber products they manufacture. However, the enterprise sometimes resorts to suspending deliveries until the buyer settles the debt, which to a certain extent affects the contract fulfillment rate.
“Overall, the situation on the timber market is still balanced. The rapid rise in the euro exchange rate has significantly strengthened the position of Ukrainian exporters, so the forecasts for the second half of the year are more than optimistic,” summarized the CEO of Lesy Ukrainy.
KYIV. July 2, 2025 – In the first half of 2025, the fulfillment rate of forward contracts on the Ukrainian Universal Exchange (UUE) reached 97.2%, which confirms the effectiveness of this instrument in the timber market. According to the exchange, out of 351 thousand cubic meters of unprocessed timber stipulated in the contracts, 341.16 thousand cubic meters were actually delivered.
The contracts were signed at the end of 2024 with the delivery period from January to June 2025. In total, sales were made under 55 forward agreements in more than ten regions of Ukraine.
According to Serhiy Gladkyi, Director of the Ukrainian Wholesale Exchange, such results demonstrate high discipline of bidders and trust in exchange mechanisms:
“Forward contracts allow market participants to plan logistics, production and finances six months in advance. The high level of execution confirms the effectiveness of long-term contracts,” he emphasized.
A key element of the system is the guarantee fee, which ensures the financial responsibility of the parties and minimizes the risks of default.
According to the exchange, this level of fulfillment is also evidence of the maturity of the market and the effectiveness of exchange instruments in the timber segment.
Forward contracts, Sergiy Gladkyy, TIMBER, UICE, Ukrainian Universal Exchange
Since the beginning of the year, exports of wood and wood products from Ukraine amounted to 1.42 million tons worth $671.8 million. Compared to the same period in 2024, when 1.34 million tons were exported for $593.9 million, the volume of exports increased by 81,700 tons, or 6%. At the same time, in monetary terms, there was an increase of $77.9 million, or 13%.
Pine products account for the largest share, 68.6%, indicating high demand for this type of wood on foreign markets. Spruce timber ranks second with 19%, followed by oak with 6.6% of the total volume.
At the same time, since the beginning of the year, customs authorities have detected violations amounting to over UAH 31.4 million.
The European Commission has classified Russia and Belarus as countries with the highest risk level in accordance with the EU Regulation on the prevention of deforestation and forest degradation (EUDR), which is an additional safeguard against their forest products entering the European market, said Viktor Smal, head of the State Forestry Agency of Ukraine.
“The European Commission has published an updated list of countries classified according to risk level in accordance with the EUDR. Ukraine, like leading European timber producers, has been given low-risk status. This creates conditions for investors to come to Ukraine and attract investment, opening up new opportunities for Ukrainian exporters of furniture and other forest products, facilitating their entry into the European market. At the same time, Russia and Belarus are among the high-risk countries, which makes it even more difficult for their products to enter the EU. We are working to ensure that countries involved in gray import schemes for Russian timber are also included in the list of high-risk suppliers,” Smal emphasized.
He noted that despite the war, thanks to digitalization and reforms in the forestry sector, Ukraine has managed to obtain the status of a low-risk exporter on a par with Germany, Latvia, Finland, and Poland.
“This is the result of our systemic reforms and digital transformation in the forestry sector, in particular the introduction of such tools as e-logging tickets, e-certificates of origin, and e-TTN with photo documentation,” said the head of the State Forestry Agency.
As reported, in 2022, the EU imposed sanctions on imports of Russian timber, pulp, paper, other wood products, and furniture. This applies not only to imports from Russia but also to the trading of Russian timber through third countries.
According to an investigation by Earthsight, European furniture manufacturers have purchased more than 500,000 cubic meters of Russian-made birch plywood during the war, circumventing sanctions.
World Forest ID experts found that 46% of birch products supplied to the UK and labeled as originating from Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, and Latvia were actually produced in Belarus and Russia.
The EUDR, which will come into force for medium and large companies on January 1, 2026, stipulates that products imported into the EU must not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. Countries are classified according to risk level — low, standard, and high. Low risk status simplifies exports, reduces the regulatory burden, and enhances the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers in the EU market.
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Experts of the European Business Association (EBA) insist on the obligatory revision of the draft law on the timber market taking into account the proposals of the business, in particular, it should provide for a cascade principle of the auction.
“In our opinion, priority access to the resource should be provided to companies that have production facilities and carry out wood processing in Ukraine,” the EBA said in a press release on Thursday.
In addition, according to the press release, it is necessary to significantly revise and simplify the rules of administration of transactions with wood products.
“According to business, they are not only excessive but also inappropriate given the specifics of the market. Businesses find it inexpedient to declare transactions related to wood products, instead of focusing on declaration of the procurement and sale [resale] of wood,” the association’s experts said.
The EBA also notes the need to revise the list of wood products requiring a certificate of origin and exclude from it products that are not of primary wood processing.
The press release notes that the consideration of this bill (No. 4197-d) in the Verkhovna Rada is scheduled for October 22.
“It is worth noting that the updated version of draft law No. 4197-d took into account certain important proposals from businesses. These are provisions that provide a mechanism for the sale of timber on the terms of the offer in parity with the auction and the restructuring of state forestry enterprises by separating the woodworking units of state forestries,” the press release states.
The association notes that it continues to develop proposals for the wording of the bill, which will be submitted additionally.
As reported, revised draft law No. 4197-d on the timber market envisages the abolition of the moratorium on export of unprocessed timber from Ukraine and the introduction of a transparent timber market.
Adoption of the law on the timber market, allowing the export of unprocessed timber and sawn timber from Ukraine, is forecasted until the end of this year, its entry into force does not pose significant threats to the country’s forest resources and related businesses, Head of the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine Yuriy Bolokhovets has said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
“I predict that the law on the timber market will be adopted by the end of the year. I do not see any major threats either from the point of view of preserving the forest fund, or from the point of view of protecting and supporting Ukrainian business. We are already working at European prices, there are precedents for the import of raw materials from the EU countries. Therefore, we do not expect rush demand from exporters or foreign players,” the head of the agency said.
According to him, the Ukrainian timber market was interesting for foreign players, while significant volumes of cheap illegally logged timber were present there, but those times have already passed.
Bolokhovets also said that due to the possible lifting of the moratorium on the export of unprocessed timber, Ukrainian processors should think about developing their business and strengthening competitiveness.
“Today, the majority is engaged in trivial sawing of timber. It is necessary to deepen processing, increase the added value of products,” the head of the State Forest Resources Agency said.
