The Ministry of Climate and Environment assures that the reduced availability of pellet on the Polish market is not due to a limitation of wood supply by the State Forests. The ministry points to increased demand caused by a severe winter and a large number of new heating installations. Although fuel prices have risen in some regions to as much as 2000-2500 PLN per ton, the government reassures that the systemic sale of raw material has remained at a stable level of around 40 million cubic meters annually for years.

Stable wood supply

State Forests supply approximately 40 million cubic meters of raw material annually, which rules out wood shortages as a cause of the pellet deficit.

Drastic price increase

Pellet prices have risen by 40–80 percent, reaching in some regions even 2500 PLN per ton of fuel.

Weather and market factors

The low availability is due to an exceptionally cold winter and the mass replacement of boilers with installations powered by biomass.

The situation on the pellet market in recent weeks has become a cause for concern for many homeowners. According to reports from various regions of Poland, fuel prices have risen drastically, reaching a level of 2000–2500 PLN per ton, which compared to autumn rates of around 1300 PLN represents an increase of nearly 40–80 percent. However, Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment Mikołaj Dorożała firmly rejected suggestions that changes in forest policy or limitations on logging were responsible for this situation. The ministry emphasizes that wood sales from State Forests have remained at a constant level of approx. 40 million cubic meters annually for six years, and minor fluctuations of a few percent are natural for this sector of the economy. Poland is one of the largest pellet producers in Europe, and the development of this sector accelerated after 2015 with the introduction of subsidy programs for replacing old stoves with ecological heat sources. The main factors influencing the current market destabilization are the harsh winter and the dynamic increase in the number of users of modern biomass boilers. Biomass has become a popular alternative to coal, which, combined with low temperatures, generated record demand. The ministry simultaneously warns against the risk of excessive dependence on raw material imports. Government representatives appeal for calm, calling theories about raw material shortages caused by regulations "fake news from the east" aimed at causing panic in the fuel market. The ministry is monitoring the situation, indicating that pellet remains a relatively safe and stable fuel for individual heating, despite periodic seasonal fluctuations. „It's fake news from the east. It's the harsh winter, not regulations introduced by the ministry, that caused the pellet problems.” — Mikołaj Dorożała Sprzedaż drewna z Lasów Państwowych: 2023: 39.2, 2024: 40.6, 2025: 39.1 2500 zł — is the maximum price per ton of pellet Zmiany cen i podaży pelletu: Cena za tonę: 1300-1400 zł → 2000-2500 zł; Podaż drewna: 40.6 mln m3 → 39.1 mln m3

Mentioned People

  • Mikołaj Dorożała — Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, refuting allegations about the impact of regulations on pellet shortages.