Published May 1964 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
From the Office of UNITED STATES SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD Room 342, Old Senate Office Building, Washington 24, D.C. Volume IV -- Number 20 May 15, 1964 BYRD'S EYE VIEW A Public Service Column by SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD LUMBER IN THE SOVIET UNION--PRODUCTION CONSUMPTION, EXPORTS AND IMPORTS Soviet Russia's forest resources are larger than those of any other country in the world and larger than those of the United States and Canada combined. According to United Nations' statistics, Russia has 1,834,210,000 acres of forest lands (19% of total world resources) compared with 1,621,431,500 acres in the United States and Canada (17.1% of world total). Russia's forests include approximately 80% softwoods, chiefly larch and pine, and 20% hardwoods, chiefly birch and aspen. Timbered areas are unevenly distributed, population-wise, with 77% in Asiatic Russia (with only 19% of the population) and 23% in European Russia (with 81% of the population). The European area has been heavily logged, but the Asiatic area is still untouched, being economically inaccessible for the present. Increasing requirements for industrial development and governmental commitment for better housing will certainly force greater exploitation of timber resources. Comparison of post-World War II Soviet production and consumption to exports and imports is interesting. From 1946-1957, production increased annually from 8,296 to 33,477 million board feet, with softwood production rising from 7,049 to 28,453 million feet and hardwood production from 1,247 to 5,024 million feet. Simultaneously, the USSR imported lumber heavily. Imports rose from 119 to 564 million board feet in 1952, gradually declining to 247 million feet by 1957. Hardwood imports rose from 25 to 70 million feet, with the import decrease reflected in softwoods. By contrast, from 1946-1957, Soviet exports mushroomed from 134 million feet to 1,457 million feet. This increase was almost totally in softwoods, with hardwood exports declining from a 1949 peak of 29 million feet to 212,000 feet in 1957. USSR consumption of lumber (production plus imports minus exports) apparently increased from 8,280 million board feet in 1946 to 32,267 million feet in 1957. Since 1952, softwood consumption has been less than production, whereas hardwood consumption continues to exceed production. These facts may have been artificially established, as the Soviet Union undoubtedly could absorb its own output. Nonetheless, with 27.9% of the world's total lumber output. it has steadily accounted for 10% of the world's lumber exports. The USSR has inaugurated a program of greater production of forest products through mechanization and increased labor productivity. It is able to export softwood lumber in substantial quantities, having a prewar average annual rate of 2,439 million board feet, chiefly European markets. Current exports have not returned to this level; however, the heavy emphasis placed on forest industries expansion suggests a future surpassing of the prewar level. Because of limited hardwood resources and growing industrial needs, Russia probably will not become an important hardwood exporter. Although it is believed the USSR can compete economically in world lumber markets, exports may likely be governed by political considerations. -30-