New records reported from traditional prime timber auction
Slovenj Gradec, 15 February - The sycamore maple remained undefeated as the most desired type of wood also at the 11th annual auction of valuable wood in Slovenj Gradec, which involved a record 32 buyers from five countries. The most expensive log went to an Italian buyer for EUR 9,906.
Slovenj Gradec
11th annual auction of prime timber.
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
Slovenj Gradec
State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Marjan Podgoršek speaks to the press after the 11th annual auction of prime timber.
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
Slovenj Gradec
Forest Service boss Damjan Oražem (left) and State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Marjan Podgoršek speak to the press after the 11th annual auction of prime timber.
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
Slovenj Gradec
11th annual auction of prime timber.
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
Slovenj Gradec
The sycamore maple that was sold for a record-breaking EUR 9,906 at the 11th annual auction of prime timber.
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
Slovenj Gradec
An auction of high-quality timber
Photo: Vesna Pušnik Brezovnik/STA
The winning log, which came from the Kočevsko woods (S), set a new record of EUR 9,375 in terms of cubic metre value, up EUR 1,800 from last year's record.
This year's auction saw 308 forest owners offering 1,700 logs or 1,885 cubic metres of quality timber, sought by makers of veneer for yachts, cars and music instruments.
The auction is increasingly turning into an international affair, as there were 12 Austrians, five Germans, two Italians and a Croatian along with 12 Slovenians among the buyers. Japanese experts attended as well, but did not submit any bids.
Also on hand was State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Marjan Podgoršek, who stressed the importance of the auction for the promotion of quality Slovenian wood.