Business asked to cancel export duties on wet lumber

The all-Russian organization of small and medium-sized businesses “Opora Rossii” asked to cancel export duties on raw sawn timber and subsidize the transportation of timber cargo through all seaports of the country. These proposals, among others, are contained in a letter from its president, Alexander Kalinin, to Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko dated April 20 (available from Vedomosti).

Opora Russia proposes to consider the possibility of abolishing the customs duty on the export of sawn timber with a moisture content of more than 22%. As an alternative, the association proposes to introduce a “lowest possible” level of duty in the amount of 1% for a period of three years – this, according to the authors of the letter, is “a reasonable period for businesses to adapt to new conditions”, and then to gradually increase “to a protective level “.