Ruokavirasto has imposed restrictions on forestry operations and timber harvesting due to African swine fever (ASF) in Virolahhti. Losses amounting to millions of euros are expected in the infected area, which covers approximately 150,000 hectares. The restrictions may last for more than a year.

The Finnish Food Safety Authority Ruokavirasto has imposed broad restrictions on logging in Virolahhti following the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in dead wild boars. The ban applies to mechanized tree felling, branch pruning, thinning, stacking, and forest floor preparation.

For loggers, the situation is critical. Moving equipment outside the infected zone does not solve the problem: logging operations are based on long-term contracts, and contractors are already engaged in other regions. Experience in Sweden shows that the shutdown could last at least a year—until all wild boars in the zone have been culled or the area is declared disease-free. ASF was detected in Sweden in the fall of 2023, and restrictions remained in place for over a year.

The infected zone covers approximately 150,000 hectares of particularly timber-rich forests; losses are projected to run into the millions of euros. According to Ruokavirasto’s assessment, the restrictions could last up to a year.

Forest owners risk losing huge sums

"Everything depends on how long these restrictions remain in force and how extensive they are," says Sami Oksa, Forestry Director at the Finnish Forest Industries Federation (Metsäteollisuus ry). According to the organisation's estimates, at least 700,000 cubic metres of roundwood were harvested annually in the original zone, and forest owners risk losing approximately 26 million euros in income from stumpage fees. Federation data show that this volume of timber would contribute nearly 106 million euros to the Finnish economy. S. Oksa warns that employment across the entire forest sector value chain could shrink by nearly 900 jobs. As the south-eastern region of Finland already imports a large portion of its wood from other regions of the country, transport distances and, consequently, costs are expected to rise.

"The situation is uncontrollable," emphasises Stefan Borgman, Chairman of the Association of Forest Industry Experts (METO). In mid-August, he estimated that the closed area reached 150,000 hectares – and that was even before the 28 August decision, which added three municipalities to the list. Local forestry organisations in the restriction zone have already begun discussions regarding staff leave or even redundancies. The association, citing recommendations provided by Ruokavirasto, acknowledges that the restrictions could remain in place for at least a year.

ASF is a hemorrhagic fever that affects domestic and wild pigs as well as mini-pigs. The virus is not dangerous to humans, but the economic consequences and implications for disease control are significant.

The Metsäalan Asiantuntijat ry Meto trade union insists that control measures should be implemented throughout Finland, not just in the infected area. The organization is calling for a ban on feeding wild boars (except for baiting for hunting) and for the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto) to decide on a preventive culling of the population nationwide.
  
Source: zemeunvalsts.lv