Presevo – If all goes according to plan, the first plant in South Serbia for processing the fast growing paulownia three, which is called the tree of the future, will be built in the village of Trnavska Reka near Presevo. The construction of a unique plant was announced by Ljubisa Tosic, who has, so far, been engaged in growing paulownia threes for three years.  He grew the first seedlings from seeds in 2014, while, the following year, he had plants ready for being planted in the field.  He planted paulownia threes on a plot of land in mid-April, while he expects that they will grow up to eight meters high by next April.   

Ljubisa studied mechanical engineering, then worked at a Slovenian company, and later put up a greenhouse for growing flowers. On hearing the story of paulownia, its characteristics and the possibilities it offers, he opted for growing it, so that, now, he is the biggest grower of that sort of three in South Serbia. He currently has around seven thousand seedlings, which he claims are of excellent quality and which he sells at a price of fifty dinars per seedling. He also says that customer interest exceeds his current capacity.

Fifteen or so people could be employed at the plant for processing paulownia threes, which he intends to open.

“This business can secure a nice livelihood. One hectare, on which 6,200 seedlings can be planted, can generate the profit of up to fifty thousand euros in four years. During that time, the three makes the mass of at least one cubic meter, "Ljubisa said.

In addition to heating, the paulownia wood is also used for producing yachts, furniture and musical instruments. Paulownia trees need to grow three to four years in order to be used for heating, and eight to nine years for being used for other purposes. They can be planted in the fields that are up to 1,200 meters above sea level. Paulownia trees burn as well as gas does, the leaves are used as animal feed, while briquettes and pellets are made from the three’s mass. It can be planted throughout the year, as well as cut at least ten times and still grow to become a tree. The calorific value of one cubic meters of paulownia is equal to that of one cubic meter of brown coal.

Source: B92 and Coordination Body