SEATTLE - 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. Timber and log imports also will be affected.

But reduced log export tariffs in Russia are unlikely to boost the country’s log export volumes back to historic levels, says the Seattle-based Wood Resource Quarterly Export. 

Log exports from Russia have plummeted the past five years mainly because of the country’s implementation of a log export tariff of 25 percent in 2008. Russia suffered a sharp decline in volume, but is still the largest exporter of softwood logs in the world.

When Russia was accepted into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2011, one of the requirements for the entry was to reduce export and import tariffs on forest products. Those familiar with the negotiation proces say the Russian log export tariff system will lower the tariffs on softwood logs from 25% to 15% for pine logs, and to 13% for spruce logs.