Christmas tree markets will open in the Vitebsk region from December 20

The Vitebsk State Forestry Association has outlined where and at what price green beauties can be purchased, and how illegal logging of New Year trees will be prevented.

In total, the region's forestry enterprises plan to sell about 30,000 New Year trees. Over a third of this volume will be prepared by the Vitebsk, Postavy, Polotsk, and Orsha forestry enterprises.

For the convenience of the public, the operating hours of Christmas tree markets will be extended as much as possible. The product range at the sales points includes fir trees, pines, Christmas tree bouquets, and potted fir trees. The latter, by the way, are in high demand among the public, so their sales volume is planned to be increased.

The price of a New Year tree at Christmas tree markets in Vitebsk will be uniform. A fluffy beauty up to 1 m in height can be purchased for 12.1 rubles, up to 2 m – for 15.3 rubles, up to 3 m – for 22.2 rubles.
In the regional center, 15 sites have been designated for the sale of natural fir and pine trees. In particular, these include the Polotsk, Smolensk, and Yuzhny markets, Proletarskaya Square, as well as streets such as Smolenskaya, Mira, Pravda, Titova, Chkalova, Voinov-Internatsionalistov, Moskovsky Prospekt, and others.

In the pre-New Year period, raid work aimed at preventing illegal logging becomes relevant for state forest protection officers. Patrols of forests and young coniferous stands near settlements and roads will be organized. Posts will also be set up, including joint ones with employees of the traffic police and the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora under the President of the Republic of Belarus.

Citizens transporting fir and pine trees must have documents confirming their purchase. In the pre-New Year days, forest protection intends to actively use photo and video recording cameras. Unauthorized felling of green beauties threatens an individual with a fine of 5 to 30 basic units, an individual entrepreneur – from 20 to 200 basic units, and a legal entity – from 50 to 300 basic units.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by