MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/. Higher duty rates for export of individual kinds of lumber, aimed at preventing export of raw wood disguised as lumber, have become effective in Russia.

The Russian government earlier introduced broader restrictions for timber export: higher rates for export of individual kinds of lumber with moisture over 22% and thickness and width over 10 cm are effective in the country from January 2 to December 31, 2022.

The rate of 200 euro per cubic meter is set for softwood and the rate applied to precious hardwood ranges from 250 to 370 euro per cubic meter, the Ministry of Industry said. The rate for such softwood and oak lumber was 10% but at least 13 and 15 euro per cubic meter respectively and 10% but at least 50 euro per cubic meter for beechwood and ash.

"This was done to increase the export of products with high added value and to prevent flows of certain commodity groups into other ones," the Ministry said. Duties will be in effect only in respect of exports outside the Eurasian Economic Union.

Raw softwood and precious hardwood (oak, beech and ash) is made since January 1 only through two railway border crossings (Lotta on the border with Finland and Khasan on the border with North Korea). This will make it possible to save up to 6 mln cubic meters of softwood in Russia for processing by domestic companies, which will influence on the improvement of product quality on the domestic market and the relevant price lowering, Deputy Minister of Industry Viktor Evtukhov said earlier.