On September 2, Minsk / Tatyana Lobas - BELTA /. The revenues of Belarusian forestry enterprises from the harvesting of secondary forest products and minor forest resources for January-August of the current year are estimated to be around Br5 billion, which is 11% more compared to the same period last year, Alina Valevich, chief specialist of the Department of Hunting Management and Secondary Forest Use of the Ministry of Forestry, told a BELTA correspondent. According to the specialist, this allowed the forestry enterprises to complete their annual target of Br4.8 billion ahead of schedule. This season, 16.4 thousand tons of birch sap, 2.4 tons of medicinal raw materials, 24.4 tons of mushrooms, and 28 tons of resin have been harvested. The harvesting of chokeberries, red rowan berries, and lingonberries is ongoing. Cranberry harvesting has begun. For some items, the figures are higher than last year, and each region has its own preferences for collecting and harvesting specific products. For example, the forestry enterprises of Brest and Vitebsk regions excelled in the collection and harvesting of blueberries, gathering 14.2 tons and 5.2 tons respectively. The forestry enterprises of Vitebsk and Grodno regions harvested the most mushrooms - 13.5 tons and 8.5 tons respectively. In addition, each region specializes in the collection and harvesting of a specific type of raw material. In ecologically clean areas, forest medicinal herbs such as chamomile, St. John's wort, sage, coltsfoot, fireweed, and oregano are collected. The enterprises supply herbs and technical raw materials (birch chaga, hazelnuts, hawthorn, rosehip, resin) to pharmaceutical companies. Almost every forestry enterprise has a bee apiary: honey production is one of the important sources of stable income for forestry enterprises. This season, over 13.1 tons of honey have already been harvested. The forestry enterprises of Minsk and Brest State Production Forestry Associations harvested the most honey - 7.4 tons and 5.5 tons respectively. Its sales are very active. Forestry enterprises participate in all fairs held in the regions. Forest honey, collected from various herbs, is considered particularly beneficial. In addition, forestry enterprises produced 46.8 thousand birch whisks and 382 thousand household brooms, which is several times more than in the same period last year. These products are in demand among consumers. By the end of the year, revenues from secondary forest products and minor forest resources may exceed Br5.5 billion, which is 15% more than in 2009. -0-

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