The demand is being driven by one thing - fear
Image via pexelsFirewood suppliers say they're dealing with 'unprecedented demand' because of fears of a winter energy shortage.
The Irish Independent reports some retailers have had to put a limit per customer on pallets of stove-ready hardwood.
With oil, gas, electricity and coal prices soaring, thousands of Irish householders have turned to firewood as a guaranteed heating source.
In 2018 Irish consumers used about 240,000 cubic metres of firewood, which could rise to over 450,000 this winter.
A number of suppliers have also closed their order books as a result of high demand.
One firewood supplier, Padraig Egan of Axe Forestry, said demand was being driven by one factor – fear.
“I have never seen anything like it,” he said.
“We cannot keep our storage sheds full. We have never dealt with demand like this before. It is simply incredible.”
The Roscommon-based company would normally begin processing its harvested timber – sourced two years before – in late August.
By mid-September all its storage sheds would be full of processed firewood.
