Rais of Tatarstan and Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko get acquainted with work of timber-processing works in Saby region

On 22 September, during their working trip to Saby region of the republic, the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Victoria Abramchenko accompanied by the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Sovetnikov got acquainted with the work of low-quality timber processing plant which was established in 2013.

The complex produces 600 thousand wood pallets, 32 thousand square meters of sawn wood, 6 thousand tonnes of wood flour and 22 thousand tonnes of pellets a year, processing up to 140 thousand square meters of timber and employing 255 people.

Victoria Avramchenko stated that the plant in Saby region is an example of zero waste production and added: “I think this is the key to success and it should be scaled up further. We will think with our colleagues how we can adapt regulatory acts so that such examples appear in other regions.”

In his turn Rustam Minnikhanov thanked the Federal Government for supporting implementation of tasks in environmental and forestry protection. “I would like to emphasize projects of the waste treatment plants and the Volga recovery which are vital for us. These projects appeared within the framework of the national projects. Huge work is also done in forest reproduction. We are ready to assure that all tasks set forth by the Russian President in the national projects and programmes will be implemented,” he added.

Victoria Abramchenko also stated that Tatarstan shows sustainable high results in forest management and supported a proposal from Rustam Minnikhanov about delegating forestry agencies the right of timber procurement and initial processing. She said that the corresponding draft law is already under consideration and the Government is preparing an official response.

 Giving his comment, the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Sovetnikov said” The new functional will let state institutions use timber which was assigned for business but was not claimed. And due to additional revenues from selling products forestry stations will be able to increase financing the protection of forests and their recovery.”

During their visit Rustam Minnikhanov and Victoria Abramchenko also attended the dendrological garden with a collection of 646 species of trees, bushes and flowers where they planted western red cedars, and looked round the Forestry Museum of Saby region and the local forest fire station.