# In 2023, 167 auctions were successfully concluded on Meža Birža, with a total of 10,220 bids placed.

# Looking at the difference between the starting value of the auctions and the sale price, the total price increase is 24.33%, while the average price increase reached 39%.

# The total value of felling site sales reached six and a half million euros.

# The total felling volume in 2023 reached: 115,128 m³ | 566 ha

This year, we have the opportunity to obtain more detailed statistics on tree species as well. This year, the largest volume in our auctions was for spruce, which accounts for 32 thousand cubic metres. This is followed by birch with 28 thousand, pine with just under 20 thousand, grey alder with 12 thousand, aspen with 9 thousand, and finally black alder, with a volume of 5 thousand. Other tree species account for a volume of less than 1 thousand cubic metres.

Although there were significant logging restrictions for conifer and spruce felling sites in 2023, activity remained high – both in September, when the restrictions were lifted, and throughout the year. This can be explained by the fact that forest owners whose stands were not affected by restrictions wanted to manage to sell their felling sites. Many did not want to risk a decrease in the value of their spruce stands following damage from the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle.

• E Spruce: 32,001.54 m³
• B Birch: 28,004.21 m³
• P Pine: 19,827.44 m³
• Ba Grey alder: 11,777.31 m³
• A Aspen: 9,205.87 m³
• M Black alder: 5,314.29 m³

Looking at price changes: in the conifer species group, price changes are not pronounced, although prices in 2022 were still 10-20 €/m³ higher than in 2023. The weighted average price in this group in 2022 was 73 €/m³ (49 auctions) and in 2023 it was 63 €/m³ (49 auctions).

In mixed-wood forests containing both conifers and deciduous trees, there is a much more pronounced price difference, which fluctuates around 10-40 €/m³ lower prices in 2023. In this group, the average price in 2022 was 73.5 €/m³ (53 auctions) and in 2023 it was 56 €/m³ (51 auctions).

In mixed deciduous forests, the rapid price rise in 2022 began in May, when prices were significantly higher than in 2023. However, a constant price decline was observed by the end of 2023. Another trend that is not visible in the charts – in 2022, there were large volumes of grey alder felling sites in this group. In 2023, however, felling sites with a significant proportion of grey alder were less common in the listings, as their value decreased in line with the fall in the value of energy wood. The average price in 2022 was 55 €/m³ (76 auctions), and in 2023 the average price for these auctions was 46 €/m³ (53 auctions).

While in 2022 there were several auctions where the price per cubic metre was 100 euros or more, even reaching the absolute price record during the existence of Meža Birža – 122.03 €/m³, the highest price in 2023 was 92.86 €/m³.

• Liquid felling volume in cubic metres and area by year:

2023 total: 115,128 m³ | 566 ha
Conifer felling sites: 34,064 m³ | 136 ha
Conifer–deciduous felling sites: 44,220 m³ | 217 ha
Birch felling sites: 5,460 m³ | 28.13 ha
Mixed deciduous felling sites: 30,380 m³ | 177 ha

2022 total: 135,282 m³ | 656 ha
Conifer felling sites: 26,526 m³ | 123 ha
Conifer–deciduous felling sites: 47,899 m³ | 221 ha
Birch felling sites: 10,163 m³ | 53 ha
Mixed deciduous felling sites: 39,138 m³ | 256 ha

“Currently, looking at 2024, it is quite difficult to make any predictions. I think the first half of the year will be without rapid changes in prices, neither upwards nor (hopefully) significantly downwards. The second half of the year depends on a great many factors. Primarily, we wish for peace in the world, and that would be a very good reason to return to faster growth, including demand for timber.”
Ernests Gabrāns/Co-founder of Meža Birža