Forest regeneration, tending and harvesting costs increased in 2022

Data compiled by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that in 2022 the average forest regeneration costs varied between 792 and 931 EUR/ha, which is a rise of 2.5–12.4 % depending on the quality group of forest land*. In 2021 these costs varied between 742 and 890 EUR/ha and the year before between 764 and 823 EUR/ha. Forest regeneration costs include expenditure on soil preparation, small sapling expenses and planting costs.

In 2022 the highest forest regeneration costs incurred in forests standing on the fourth quality group forest land (930.90 EUR/ha, which is 8.7 % more than a year ago) while the lowest in forests on the second quality group forest land (791.59 EUR/ha, up by 2.5 %).

Average forest regeneration and tending costs by quality group of forest land

(EUR/ha, excl. VAT)

Compared to 2021, in 2022 the average forest tending costs in Latvia increased in forests standing on forest land of all four quality groups whereas regeneration costs rose in forests on first, second, and fourth land quality group and dropped in forests on third land quality group.

The overall growth in the average forest regeneration and tending costs was encouraged by higher labour costs and prices of seedlings as well as mechanized forest planting (as costs per unit are higher than with manual planting).

In 2022, the average forest tending costs, which include agro-technical tending of forest and tending of young growths, varied between 325 and 411 EUR/ha. The highest forest tending costs were recorded in forests on fourth quality group forest land (411.0 EUR/ha, which is 24.4 % more than in 2021) and third quality group land (387.6 EUR/ha, up by 27.5 %).

Compared to 2021, in 2022 the average harvesting costs of one cubic meter of timber increased in both final and intermediate felling. Wood cutting in the intermediate felling is performed by sampling trees, therefore total harvesting costs in this felling type are higher than in final felling where almost all trees are cut. Costs in final felling, in turn, have gone up by 31.0 % and reached 24.3 EUR/m³. In intermediate felling (thinning, reconstructive felling, and sanitary clear felling), costs have risen by 22.4 %, reaching 28.2 EUR/m³. The total harvesting costs in final felling and intermediate felling are formed by labour, transportation, and machinery costs.

Harvesting costs

(EUR/m³, excl. VAT)

Methodological explanations

* Forest land depending on the type of growth conditions of the forest is divided into four quality groups:

quality group I: poor pine forest on wet, pine forest on peat soil;

quality group II: pine forest, Callunosa mel., Callunosa turf.mel., Vaccinioso-sphagnosa, Myrtilloso-sphagnosa, Myrtilloso politrichosa, Caricoso-phragmitosa, fen, Filipendulosa;

quality group III: pine forest with spruce understorey, rich deciduous forest, Vacciniosa mel., Vacciniosa turf.mel.;

quality group IV: Myrtilloso-sphagnosa, spruce forest, rich deciduous forest, Myrtillosa mel., Myrtillosa turf. Mel., Mercurialiosa met., Oxalidosa turf. mel.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Alda Jirgensone
Environment and Energy Statistics Section
E-mail: Alda.Jirgensone@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366745