The Economic Impacts of Covid-19 on the Forestry Sector: A Case Study in Turkey

Abstract

The Covid 19 pandemic has led to considerable destruction of social and economic areas at a global level. This study aims to determine the economic impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the Turkish forestry sector. In this context, 5 years (from 2017 to 2021) of wood-based product sales of an administrative unit, which carries out regional forestry activities in Turkey, were studied. The data concerning the product groups were subjected to a Laspeyres price index analysis based on the base period weight through the price and estimated price increase rate variables. In addition, correlation analysis was utilized to determine the relationships between the determined variables. The findings showed that the Covid 19 pandemic led to decreases in the Laspeyres price index values for the price and estimated price increase rates when compared with the prepandemic period, which was different on a product group's basis. As a result, it can be said that the Covid 19 pandemic process created a considerable potential for a loss of income in wood-based products, which is one of the primary outputs of the forestry sector, and as of 2021, a recovery process has started.