A major forestry company has announced plans to sell its forest properties and related businesses in the Baltic States. The company is actively seeking potential buyers for its land holdings, which include approximately 153,000 hectares of forest in Latvia and Estonia.
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Peter Karlsson, business manager at Sodra Skog, the Swedish forestry association behind the sale, explained that the organisation's primary mission is to manage its members' forests, not to own them. 'That's why we've initiated the sale, and we're in the process of finding the right buyer. But we are not in a hurry,' Karlsson stated.
Most of the land is located in Latvia, with the remaining area in Estonia. This sale is considered a rare opportunity, as large forest properties in the region are not typically available for purchase. Kristaps Klaus, vice-president of the Latvian Wood Industry Federation, noted on social media that such opportunities arise only once every decade. He also highlighted that about 2% of Latvia's total land area is now on the market.
Klaus further suggested that this could be an ideal moment to create a semi-state-owned company to raise capital through the stock exchange and acquire the land.
The sale represents a significant move in the forestry industry, as Sodra seeks to refocus its efforts on forest management rather than ownership. This decision is expected to have wide-reaching implications for the region's forestry and timber industries, with potential buyers both locally and internationally showing keen interest. The sale will also be a key topic in discussions regarding land ownership and environmental management in the Baltic States.
As negotiations move forward, the sale of such vast forest areas will likely shape future developments in the forestry sector and land use policy across the region.
Source: www.bnn-news.com