Baikal forum to discuss forestry investment projects

    IRKUTSK, August 12 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's governmental Council on
forestry development will discuss at the Baikal international economic
forum, due on September 12-14, priority projects in Russia's forestry, the
forum's press service reports referring to head of department at Russia's
Ministry of Industry and Trade Mikhail Klinov.
    Russia's forestry has been showing steady growth. Over the first six
months of 2011, lumbering and woodwork made 106.7 percent of the previous
year, cellulose production - 105 percent. Back in 2008, wood processing
rate was under 52 percent, and in 2010 it grew to 60 percent. Those are
first results of Russia's strategy for development of the forestry to 2020.
    At the same time, Russia will not be able to achieve leading positions
in world markets without a large-scale renovation of the forestry sector,
he said.
    The Strategy contains 98 projects, where total investments make 413
billion roubles.
    Over 2009-2010, new 17 projects went operational. They attracted 59
billion in investments. According to the Strategy, about ten new
enterprises due going operation over the current year, will offer 3,500 jobs.