Montenegro may ban pellet exports; producers warn factories will shut down

Montenegro's minister of agriculture, forestry and water management, Vladimir Joković, said on 4 November on the morning programme of public broadcaster TVCG that pellet exports would most likely be halted to secure sufficient quantities for the domestic market. The decision lies with the Ministry of Economy; Joković said he would propose it and that the ban could take effect from Thursday.

The problem. The government has capped pellet prices, but citizens complain that they cannot find fuel at the set price. According to the minister, some sellers do not package the product although they are obliged to, refuse to load it or charge very high transport fees, and the fines imposed by inspectors were not large. "There are no pellets, although we see that they are produced and that a huge quantity is exported," he said, as quoted by RTCG and Vijesti. Joković acknowledged that Montenegro's price is the lowest in the region and that it could be raised.

The figures. According to the minister, 15–20% of total pellet production covers the country's needs, with the rest exported. Exports of sawdust and wood offcuts have already been banned, a measure in force since 6 October 2026, according to the producers.

Producers' reaction. In a statement issued on 5 November through the Berane wood processors' association, producers warn that the ban, together with the price cap, could lead to a complete halt in production and the closure of factories, especially in the north of the country. They propose VAT-inclusive prices of 300 euros per tonne for A2-quality pellets and 330 euros per tonne for A1, and say they are ready to work at zero margin. "The state cannot conduct social policy on the back of the domestic economy," says the statement published by CdM. On 24 October, producers had already asked the Constitutional Court to review the price-cap act.

What comes next. Joković said he would discuss the issue with economic development minister Nik Gjeloshaj and with Milutin Butorović, who heads the inspection coordination body. No official decision on exports had been announced at the time of publication.