In 2019 due to severe weather conditions such as storms, heat and aridity as well as the fast spread of the bark beetle the forestry industry was continuously put under pressure. Record quantities related to damaged wood in Austria and in neighbouring countries resulted in significant price drops for timber. Timber harvest in total was only slightly lower than in 2018. Against the background of these developments the output value of the forest industry decreased by 11.0%. The preliminary calculations further indicate that the net value added as well as the entrepreneurial income of the Austrian forestry industry declined strongly compared to the figures of the preceding year.
The total output value of the forestry industry reached about €2.2 bn,
of which the goods characteristic of the forestry and logging activity
(comprising live forest tree plants, forest trees, sawlogs, industrial
roundwood and raw timber for energetic use) accounted for about 83.7%
and other goods and services (forestry services, inseparable secondary
activities and other products) for about 16.3%. With a timber harvest
volume of 18.9 million cubic metres under bark
The value of intermediate consumption fell by 11.1% to €1.2 bn. The costs
include the use of standing timber amounting to €0.6 bn in 2019
Gross value added at basic prices (calculated from the output
of the forestry industry minus intermediate consumption) declined by
10.8%. The decrease in net value added at basic prices, i.e. after deduction of fixed
capital consumption, was 13.4% and of factor income 14.1%. Net entrepreneurial income slumped by 22.2%. The share of net
entrepreneurial income in the output value of the forestry industry
decreased to 21% (decennial average 2010
The Economic Accounts for Forestry represent a satellite account of the System of Integrated Economic Accounts. Their main purpose is to analyse the production process in forestry and the primary income generated therein. The EAF were set up in Austria in 2001, in accordance with the requirements of Eurostat Handbook for Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Forestry EEA/EAF 97 (Rev.1.1). In 2019 the economic accounts of forestry were revised completely and the methodology according to the European Forest Accounts (EFA questionnaire, table B.1. on economic indicators of the forestry and logging activity) was adopted. Further information can be found in the methodological notes on EAF (in German only).
The EAF results presented here are based on the database available at the beginning of July 2020. Since for several data the latest information is not available, the results for 2019 are still provisional.
The main producers of forestry output in Austria are Lower Austria, Styria, Upper Austria and Carinthia. In 2019, 26.1% of the total output value of the forestry industry of about €2.2 bn was generated in Lower Austria and 23.0% in Styria. Upper Austria contributed 17.1% and Carinthia 15.1%. Tyrol accounted for 7.3%, Salzburg for 5.7%, Burgenland for 3.5%, Vorarlberg for 2.0% and Vienna for 0.2%.
In comparison to the
previous year, the value of the forestry industry’s output declined
in all federal provinces, with the strongest decreases in Vorarlberg
Gross value added of the forestry industry also suffered the
sharpest decreases in Styria
In addition to the Economic Accounts for Forestry (EAF) for Austria, the Regional Accounts for Forestry provide data on the economic situation in forestry at the level of the Länder (federal provinces). They highlight regional disparities, and provide data on the contribution made by the individual federal provinces to the total output value and value added of domestic forestry.
Data of the Regional
Accounts for Forestry for a reference year (n) are published in October
of the year n