Last year, Russian pellet shipments to Asia surged significantly compared with 2021, driven by shifts in supply and demand across key markets. According to statistics from Roslesinforga, the export trajectory showed notable gains, with South Korea receiving a substantial portion of these shipments. In particular, exports to South Korea rose to about 560,000 tons, a figure that marked a dramatic increase from the prior period. Deliveries to Japan also climbed, reaching roughly 100,000 tons, while earlier years saw far smaller volumes. This pattern underscored a broader shift in how Russia’s wood pellet industry responded to evolving regional demand and market access conditions.
The ministry highlighted that pellet production at several Russian facilities expanded, especially after European markets faced restrictions or closures. The operational footprint of this growth extended to enterprises located in the Far East, as well as facilities in the Volga region and southern Russia. These expansion efforts reflected a strategic response to shifting trade channels and a push to maintain steady output amid changing export dynamics, as reported by Roslesinforge. The regional mix of production helped balance supply with new avenues for international distribution.
Demand in Japan and South Korea was largely explained by their respective energy policies, which have embraced greater use of pellets as a renewable, low-emission fuel source. Japan, for example, has outlined plans to lift its pellet consumption from about 2.5 million tons in the previous year to around 15 million tons by 2025, signaling a significant uptick in demand. Roslesinforge also noted Seoul’s intent to raise pellet consumption from 5.5 million to 6.5 million tons, indicating a steady growth path for this bioenergy sector. These policy directions helped create a reliable export outlook for Russian pellet producers, even as market conditions fluctuated elsewhere.
On the production side, 当 Rosstat data indicated a cooling in output for the Russian pellet industry in 2022, with the total volume falling by roughly 19.6 percent year over year to about 2.07 million tons. This decline highlighted the sensitivity of the sector to external shocks and market access issues, while also underscoring the resilience of producers who redirected supply toward markets with sustained demand. The year-over-year change prompted industry observers to reevaluate production planning, inventory management, and the geographic distribution of shipments to maintain export momentum amid evolving international trade patterns.