Schweighofer: When other markets fall, forest market rises

Austrian group Schweighofer, which operates several wood processing plants, but is also investing in the acquisition of several forested areas, expects production at full capacity in agriculture, the group’s latest business, to be achieved in the second half of 2011.

“We have 5,000 hectares of farming land, which will be brought together into two farms. In addition to wheat, corn, sugar beet, and soy, we want to also grow poplars and willows. Especially poplars for biomass,” said Lucian Petre, supervisor of the forest and agricultural land management project of Schweighofer group.

He explained these acquisitions by the fact that “investments in land are good in a time of crisis.” The purchase of agricultural land was conducted through Agraria Nord, and “production will go to the market with the best prices.”

Asked by ZF if this market will be a foreign one, Lucian Petre gave the example of a plot taken over from Italian investors who wanted out, with production of this plot going exclusively to the Romanian market.