Managing 8 modern tree nurseries, AS “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) sold 55.7 million high-quality forest tree seedlings in 2025. Of that total, 30.27 million seedlings were used for the regeneration of state forests, while 25.4 million were sold to external customers.
Overall, sales last year were up by 5.5 %, or 2.9 million seedlings, on 2024. The growth in sales volume is explained by purposeful and stable long-term cooperation with partners in Latvia and in export markets. A substantial contribution has come from precise production planning, timely seed collection and high-quality seedling growing that meets customers' requirements regarding provenance, genetic quality and delivery schedules.
The seedlings grown and sold in the greatest numbers at LVM nurseries last year were spruce (26.22 million) and pine (22.93 million), with smaller volumes of birch, black alder and other species.
Last year the volume of exported seedlings also rose by 2.9 million: of the 25.4 million seedlings sold to external customers, 9.8 million were exported to the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.
Edgars Vizulis, Sales Manager at “LVM Sēklas un stādi”, explains:
“Our export partners value the quality of the seedlings LVM offers and the professional communication throughout the whole cycle of cooperation – from signing the contract to delivery. Another important factor is the predictable volume and the long-term cooperation model, which allows partners to plan their forest regeneration work several years ahead. They also take a positive view of our ability to adapt the product range to the requirements of particular markets, including with regard to selected material and various types of seedlings.”
In 2025 the efficiency of work at the nurseries was significantly improved. For example, a packing line was installed at the Mežvidi nursery last spring which packs an average of 220,000 seedlings a day, whereas one person can pack around 15,000 seedlings in an eight-hour working day. A washing line has also been installed at the Mežvidi nursery, which not only speeds up the washing of trays but also considerably reduces the risk of disease.
This year work will continue on research and the search for new solutions to make the seedling production process ever more efficient. The scope for wider use of drones is being assessed, for example for counting seedlings and for spraying seed orchards.