Slovenian Bioeconomy: Forest and Agricultural Biomass for Circular Economy

Agriculture, food production, and wood processing drive Slovenia's €3 billion bioeconomy, employing 115,800 people across 16 sectors. Forests cover 58% of land, with 338 million m³ timber stock; fragmented ownership limits utilisation. Logging accounts for 60–70% of harvests, while low-grade wood offers high biorefinery potential. Residues from forestry, agriculture, and wood processing—such as bark, recovered wood, and crop residues—can be converted into bio-based materials, biofuels, biocomposites, and biochar. These feedstocks support sustainable value chains in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and functional products, with emphasis on maintaining soil organic matter. Data from the European Commission’s JRC.