MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Furniture production in Russia dropped by 3.3% as of 2022 year-end and the industry players managed to adapt to new conditions after the exit of Western companies from the market, Roslesinforg, the Russian forest inventory operator, told TASS.

"Furniture production in Russia declined by 3.3% as of the end of 2022 to 356.2 bln rubles ($4.7 bln). The indicator dropped in the first instance because of the contraction in wooden furniture making for dining and drawing rooms by 75.8% to 26.8 bln rubles ($353.1 mln). At the same time, production of wooden furniture for offices had an uptick by 5.5% to 29.9 bln rubles ($393.9 mln) and kitchen furniture - by 1.9% to 58.2 bln rubles," Director of Roslesinforg Pavel Chaschin said.

In particular, the decline in cabinets’ production was the greatest in the segment of wooden furniture for dining and drawing rooms - by 53% to 2.1 mln units. Production of dining tables dropped by 32.5% to 648,400 units. Magazine tables output lost 14.4% to 588,300 units. At the same time, each group of goods showed growth in the kitchen furniture segment. Production of cupboards moved up by 7.4% to 4.5 mln units. The output of tables had the increase by 2.6% to 1.2 mln units. Manufacturing of other kitchen furniture comprising pedestals, kitchen boxes and chairs surged by 25% to 2.5 mln pieces.

"In broad terms, the domestic furniture business managed to adapt to sanction restrictions and find new partners after the exit of Western majors from the market over the year. On the contrary, the challenging economic situation provides manufacturers with an opportunity at present for being discovered by potential consumers on account of offering the design and beautiful furniture from private plants and with a higher quality against foreign competitors. Production of wooden furniture is growing by individual segments in the first instance on account of popularity of sales of furnished apartments in new houses," Chaschin added.

Furthermore, production of writing desks for educational institutions surged by 23.9% to 526,700 units. The output of wooden furniture for country houses and gardens declined by 28% to 100,000, according to statistics.