the Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn. File Photo Lehtikuva.
The Strategic Programme for the Finnish Forest Sector MSO, implemented in collaboration with various actors in 2011-2015, has for the most part reached its ambitious objectives, said a press release of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
The sector is again on a growth path, and the results will support the new Government in its work. The annual use of domestic industrial and energy wood has increased to the desired record level of 65 million cubic metres, according to the release.
“We are still some way from the turnover of euro one billion set as the target, but there has been strong growth in this type of products,” said the final report of the programme presented to the Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn on Tuesday.
Over the five-year period the market share of multi-storied buildings made of wood rose from close to zero to the 10 per cent set as the target.
The value of forest industry exports rose to euro 11.2 billion, which is still below the target value of euro 13 billion.
The turnover of new wood-based products is already hundreds of millions of euros. These include various kinds of transport fuels, bio-oil and biogas, dissolving pulp, microfibrillated cellulose, wood composites and construction materials.
“The programme contributed to creating a strong common will to develop the forest sector and bio-economy. Through shared objectives and collaboration we were able to significantly improve the situation in the forest sector and promote investments,” said Sixten Sunabacka, Strategic Director at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
A better understanding of the use of biomasses increased the interest in bio-economy, resulting in significant public and private inputs in the development of the sector, according to the director.
“The Strategic Programme for the Forest Sector provides a solid foundation for promoting the Government objective to speed up bio-economy and cleantech solutions. I hope that the Government will use this to construct a new cross-sectoral bio-economy programme,” said Sunabacka.
The Strategic Programme for the Forest Sector was among the key projects of the previous Government.
The programme succeeded in promoting the competitiveness and renewal of the Finnish forest sector. It also implemented the Finnish National Wood Construction Programme and contributed to the implementation of the Finnish Bioeconomy Strategy.
Further objectives that materialized during the programme period included increased internationalisation and stronger influence in EU contexts.
