Trading of unprocessed wood for delivery in the fourth quarter is ongoing. In Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Poltava, and several other regions, auctions have already concluded. One of the surprises was the sharp increase in prices for industrial firewood, which serves as raw material for the production of boards and other products.

The starting prices set by SFE “Forests of Ukraine” were lower than current market sales, and the offered volumes matched last year’s levels (taking into account resources previously contracted under forward half-year agreements). However, participants competed too aggressively for the resource — as a result, the price of coniferous firewood rose from 1.23 to 1.97 thousand UAH per m³. The price of softwood firewood increased from 1,000 UAH to almost 1,700 UAH per m³, while hardwood firewood rose from 1,500 UAH to 1,850 UAH per m³.

Almost 100% of the volumes offered were purchased, which reflects an objective market trend linked to growing demand for Ukrainian wood products in the European market.

Unlike industrial firewood, fuelwood from SFE “Forests of Ukraine” is now sold exclusively to the population and the social sector. This type of product was not put up for commercial trading on the exchange.

The price of fuelwood remains stable. Depending on the region, the average cost ranges from 1,000 to 1,200 UAH (including VAT). Traditionally, hardwood fuelwood is in greatest demand among the population, with prices ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 UAH (including VAT). Compared to last year, changes are minor — growth occurred only within the annual inflation rate.

It should be noted that the recommended annual purchase volume of fuelwood is no more than 15 m³ per person.

Last year, households and the social sector purchased around 2.2 million m³ of fuelwood. Since the beginning of this year, SFE “Forests of Ukraine” branches have already sold 1.25 million m³. By the end of the year, another 1 million m³ is planned to be harvested — enough to meet the demand for solid fuel. Between January 2026 and the end of the 2025–2026 heating season, an additional 500,000 m³ of fuelwood is scheduled to be harvested.

Currently, most forestry units of SFE “Forests of Ukraine” have fuelwood available, with no waiting lines. To purchase, only an ID and taxpayer identification number (TIN) are required.

The largest volumes of fuelwood are purchased by residents of Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Vinnytsia regions. The Carpathian region ranks second, followed by Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi, and Bukovyna.