VLADIVOSTOK, August 22 (RIA Novosti, Anatoly Ilyukhov) - The Far Eastern timber industry has had to cater to the Asia Pacific markets in the first half of the year due to the domestic market's poor development and other unfavorable factors, a senior Kremlin official said Monday.

"The poor development of the domestic timber market, the lack of advanced processing capacities and excessive transportation and energy tariffs have restrained the development of the Far Eastern timber industry," said Konstantin Pulikovsky, presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District.

Pulikovsky was alarmed by the growing exports of timber, rather than finished products.

"This is because equipment at timber plants has become outdated and does not meet international standards," he said.

Most regions within the federal district have increased timber cutting dramatically since the start of the year, he said.

The relevant indexes have only declined in Sakhalin and the Amur Region