Another extraordinary measure: it is forbidden to take firewood out of the country

According to experts, logging can be sustained in the long term without damaging the forests. (Photo: Pixabay)

The government controls the export of firewood abroad, which is of strategic importance from the point of view of energy supply security, and can limit it if necessary and exercise its right of pre-emption, said Minister of Agriculture István Nagy in connection with the decree published in the Magyar Közlöny. The minister drew attention to the fact that an energy crisis has developed in Europe due to the protracted Russian-Ukrainian war and Brussels sanctions. Brussels has admitted that there is a gas shortage and may even impose restrictions on gas use in member states. There is also an energy emergency in Hungary, and extraordinary measures are necessary to ensure the safe supply of energy to Hungarian families. In addition to the government buying new gas reserves and increasing gas production, part of the extraordinary measures is to ensure the control, regulation and, if necessary, even the ban of the export of firewood abroad in order to ensure the supply of domestic fuel – István Nagy added.

The domestic energy demand justifies the decision

Pursuant to the new decree, organizations and private individuals carrying out firewood are obliged to report all planned foreign sales to the National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH), which provides information about this to the Ministry of Agriculture. If wood that the applicant wants to sell abroad is needed to supply the Hungarian population and you, the government uses its right of pre-emption provided for in the decree and purchases the quantity for domestic public purposes through the designated state forest manager. It is very important that it is not a general ban, but an emergency regulation that ensures the energy needs of the Hungarian people – summarized István Nagy. Pursuant to the provision, purchased firewood is used for social purposes or to ensure the smooth performance of state and local government public duties.

Forests are not damaged due to the measures

The head of the ministry reminded that wood, as a renewable source of energy from sustainable farming, plays an important role in providing heat energy for Hungarian families. Farmers produce approximately 6.5 million cubic meters of wood annually from domestic forests, which is less than the natural growth of forests each year, so the country can count on sustainably available wood in the long term. This year, the state forestry farms alone have a license to harvest about 1.3 million cubic meters of firewood, which can be increased thanks to the emergency measures under appropriate official control without the risk of damaging the forests, the head of the agricultural ministry pointed out.

A.M