Results of the analysis of berry picking and
use by local people
Multiple eco-friendly forest use:
restoring traditions (KA401)
General data on wild berry resources in
Karelia Republic
Karelian forests harbour 17 species of berry plants
Biological stocks of berries are about 120 thousand tonnes, including
bilberry – 55-60, cowberry – 35-40, cranberry 6-10, cloudberry about 5
thousand tonnes.
Commercial stocks – 60 thousand tonnes, including bilberry – about 2530, cowberry – 20, cranberry – 4-5, cloudberry – 3 thousand tonnes.
Average rate of recurrence of high-yield years:
3High: 4Middle: 3Low
Sample of questionnaires
Survey results
The sample was structured as follows:
employed workers – 49%, students/pupils –
37%, unemployed – 5%, retired – 15%.
• 90% of respondents harvested wild berries, 8290% harvested bilberry and cowberry; 62-72%
harvested cranberry and cloudberry (mainly
rural population);
• Berry picking was an additional source of
income for 33% and the main source of income
for 5% of the respondents;
• Regarding potential lease of berry-rich grounds
to entrepreneurs, 80% of the respondents had
a negative attitude.
Average consumption (A) and sale (B) of wild
berries, kg
Per unit price of the product depends on the
geographic location of the settlement and,
hence, on the logistics. Three main options for
selling the products were mentioned by the
respondents:
- picking and selling berries along major
highways;
- picking and selling berries in district centres
and towns;
- picking and delivering berries to the purchase
centre based within the community.
Annual volumes of berries sold in high yield
years, ton
Average per family income, thous. RUR
(in high-yield years)
Processing of the questionnaires has shown that 30% of families living in
Karelia (mainly rural population) pick berries for sale, earning on average up to
RUR 39,200 a year. Calculation was carried out in the prices of 2013
Specialists have
roughly estimated that
average wild berry
harvesting volumes in
Karelia lately have
been around 15,00020,000 tons a year.
The most well-known
companies:
• «Karelia Berries»
• «Vologda berry»
• «Berry of Karelia»
The following factors limiting the
development of eco-friendly forestry and
ecosystem services have been identified:
•
•
•
•
declining number of berry-pickers;
high interest on loans;
unreasonably high electricity prices;
companies not interested in multiresource harvesting of forest products;
• low purchase prices of wild berries.
Thanks for your attention !
Nikolay Petrov,
FRI KarRC RAS
nvpetrov@krc.karelia.ru