Nov 24, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Latvia decreased sawnwood import by 7.8% to 497 200 cubic meters in January-September 2005 compared to the same period last year, agriculture ministry forest department informed. The value of sawnwood imported in 2005 was LVL 42.47 million ($72.01 million), up 0.3% from previous year. Import mainly comprised softwood sawnwood - 477 000 cubic meters. Russia and Belarus exported 308 800 cubic meters and 134 200 cubic meters of sawnwood, respectively. Sawnwood export from Latvia in first nine months 2005 was 2.05 million cubic meters, down 13.2% from the same period last year. Softwood timber export was 1.8 million cubic meters, hardwood timber export - 254 900 cubic meters. Softwood sawnwood export decreased 6.2%, hardwood - 42.9%. Sawnwood export value was LVL 227.9 million ($386.5 million) in January-September 2005, down 3.4% from January- September 2004.