Export tariffs on logs shipped from Russia, the world largest log supplier, are set to be reduced as the country becomes a member of the WTO. The proposed new lower tariffs are not expected to increase export volumes to pre-tariff levels, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.
Seattle, USA. Log exports from Russia have plummeted the past five years mainly because of the country’s implementation of a log export tariff of 25% in 2008, as reported in the WRQ. Despite having suffered a sharp decline in global market share, Russia is still the largest exporter of softwood logs in the world.

When Russia was accepted into the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in December of 2011, one of the requirements for the entry into the organization was that the country had to reduce export and import tariffs on forest products. According to persons close to the negotiation process, the not yet official proposal for the amendment of the Russian log export tariff system will lower the tariffs on...