Firewood and coal prices have risen sharply in Russia

Our civilization, although it surfs the expanses of the Universe and “on the dusty paths of distant planets”, dreams of leaving its traces, but by and large it has not flown far from its grandfather’s times. So, in Russia for a year (from August 2021 to August 2022) the price of firewood and coal has risen sharply. Which, it would seem, most Russians should have forgotten since the last century. But the global energy crisis reminded.

According to the Federal State Statistics Service, coal and firewood have risen in price by 22% and 19%, respectively, over the past year – this will be significantly higher than the average inflation rate (14%). So, in August this year, a ton of coal cost an average of 3.67 thousand rubles. However, this is the “average temperature in the hospital.” In many regions, this same ton costs residents many times more. For example, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 15.6 thousand rubles, in the Crimea – 14 thousand …

They give the country coal and timber producers. If a year ago they charged 1.76 thousand rubles per cubic meter, now it is 1.48 thousand. And even then not everywhere in the vastness of Russia. In Sevastopol, firewood costs 3.3 thousand rubles, in the Kaliningrad region – 3.03, almost the same in the Altai Territory.

In a word, before the coming winter, it’s too early to relax and take grandfather’s potbelly stoves to the dustbin of history. They can still serve people! And this concerns not only Russia. The situation is worst in the European Union, which, against the backdrop of the approaching cold weather, is experiencing serious problems with gas due to anti-Russian sanctions.

According to media reports, the people there set off in all serious ways. Just like a couple of centuries ago, they steal valuable fuel from each other and even pull logs from trailers, the drivers of which stopped by for a bite to eat at McDonald’s, which we have forgotten. In Poland, they even plan to distribute special anti-smoke masks to schoolchildren. They do not rule out that during classes the classes will have to be heated by burning garbage.

However, Europeans are unlikely to be able to protect themselves from the harsh winter frosts. When burned, dry firewood emits specific heat from 8 to 11 MJ per kilogram (birch 12.5), coal – 27 MJ / kg, and natural gas – 41-46 units, 2-4 times more. Near residential buildings, whole coal heaps will have to be poured.

If we return to Russia, then potbelly stoves for us are a pleasure, of course, for an amateur. Unless civilization has yet reached the distant villages and there is still stove heating in the huts. After all, gas, and firewood (with our forest wealth!), And coal – we have huge reserves.

However, this is where the question arises. If we have so much of both, and the third, then why is the price of fuel going up, which goes into the distant past? Agree, it’s strange.

Tried to ask the experts.

As for the increase in the price of firewood, the foresters themselves do not know where it comes from, this increase in price. Economic sanctions, in their opinion, have absolutely nothing to do with it. “Most likely,” they suggest, “producers themselves drive up prices.”

– Firewood is harvested from illiquid assets, from dead trees or those affected by ticks. – a forestry worker, who wished to remain anonymous, told MK, – Sanitary cuttings are periodically carried out in forest areas. As a rule, these works are carried out not in an industrial way, but in a handicraft way, through local administrations. Here, there one should look for the reasons for the rise in price, although illiquid assets can generally be distributed free of charge to the population.

The independent trade union of coal miners does not agree that the raw material they extract is an outgoing type of fuel. Coal will survive, so to speak, and other energy carriers. They admit that there are difficulties with the implementation – for example, Japan and South Korea refused Russian supplies. And with transportation to China and India, there are difficulties due to the changed logistics.

– However, all the mines continue to work, – Anatoly Anikin, deputy chairman of Rosugleprof, assured us, – Many factors affect the price, the cost of coal production itself – from miners – has remained practically the same. But tariffs for railway transportation, for fuels and lubricants, and other services have increased. Everything goes in a spiral and the final price of coal in the market increases. The industry has problems with the sale of products. In particular, for example, Turkey buys our coal at a discount and sells it to other countries at a completely different, much higher price. And we don’t get our profits.

According to the leading expert of the Center for Political Technologies Nikita Maslennikov, the rise in coal prices in the country is connected with the ratio of the structure of its exports.

“There are no restrictions on the sale of this type of fuel,” he says. – Significantly increased its supply abroad. There is a substitution in the domestic market: gas consumption in Russia is increasing due to the fact that its export to other countries has decreased. But the volumes of coal within the country are being reduced – prices are rising accordingly. normal market situation.

With charcoal, that’s probably how it works. But with firewood, as the foresters explained their version to us, not everything is going smoothly. Prices are rising because all over the world are rising?..