Mass harvesting of birch sap has begun in the Vitebsk region
This year, the sap season started later than usual due to cold weather, as sap flow only occurs with the arrival of warmth. However, there are many who wish to purchase this healthy drink. Vitebsk Forestry reports a high demand for birch sap.
– To date, the forestry has sold about 9 tons of birch sap, and we hope that the sap flow will continue for another one and a half to two weeks, – informed Dmitry Zbyrzhinsky, engineer for forest protection and defense at Vitebsk Forestry.
To avoid harming the trees and to obtain a quality product, there are a number of rules for collecting this medicinal drink. In the area of the Vitebsk Forest District designated for main use logging, forester Alexander Smogorzhevsky oversees compliance with all these rules.
– Sap can be harvested from birch trees that will be felled within five years and have a diameter of at least 20 cm. An opening 3 to 5 cm deep is made in the tree, 25 to 30 cm from the base, a spout is inserted through which the sap will flow, and a bag is tied to collect the drink, – explains the forester the collection technology.
Forestry workers collect sap as the bags fill up, and the product is sent to consumers daily. It can also be purchased directly at the harvesting site, as Yulia Pavlova does annually.
– It is very convenient that the foresters harvest the sap and it can be purchased right here. We come here every year because birch sap is a natural product that benefits the body when consumed, – she said.
However, not all residents of the northern region follow the harvesting rules. Recently, Vitebsk Forestry caught a violator who was illegally extracting sap.
– In early April, a forester of the Vitebsk forestry, while on the territory of the state forest fund, discovered illegal birch sap tapping and contacted us. The forestry enterprise decided to install a camera trap, which recorded a citizen arriving at the same time – at 6:30. This Tuesday, we arrived in the forest at 6 o'clock, the offender came for the product, and he was caught red-handed, – noted Dmitry Zbyrzhinsky. – An administrative report has been drawn up. The offender faces a fine of up to 20 base units and compensation for damage to forestry for each liter of illegally collected sap at 0.1 base units. To prevent such situations, lovers of self-harvesting the drink should contact the nearest forestry office, where specialists will explain how to properly harvest sap, provide a memo, and offer plots where it can be done legally.
In addition, the drink can be purchased at any forestry enterprise or forestry office.
In the forestry enterprises of the Vitebsk State Forestry Association, a liter of birch sap can be purchased on average, including VAT, for 40 kopecks, and in forestry offices – for 30 kopecks.