Jun 09, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Belarusian forestry minister Pyotr Semashko said that the government plans to build several large sawmills capable of processing between 120 000 and 150 000 cubic meters of timber annually, according to BelaPAN. The sawmills are likely to be constructed at woodworking plants in Mozyr, Rechitsa and Bobruisk, the official said at Thursday's meeting of the standing Committee on Chernobyl consequences, environment and nature management in the house of representatives in the town of Slutsk, Minsk region. The minister expressed hope that state-of-the-art equipment would allow the sawmills to cut costs and manufacture cheaper products. A program devised by the ministry in cooperation with the Belarusian state timber, woodworking, pulp and paper industries concern (Bellesbumprom) also envisages a large-scale project to upgrade logging equipment, which is expected to help save more timber in the process of cutting down trees. Mr. Semashko stressed that Belarusian woodworking companies are mostly outfitted with obsolete equipment, which he said makes it nearly impossible to use certain types of timber which are applied on a wide scale in western European countries.