Sawmills in the U.S. produced 16.617 billion board ft. (bbf) of softwood lumber in the first half of 2016, an increase of 4.4% from 15.910 bbf in the same period last year.
Of the six-month total, western U.S. sawmills accounted for 7.049 bbf, a gain of 1.5% from 6.940 bbf a year earlier, while southern mills produced 8.807 bbf – up 6.9% from 8.241 bbf.
According to data from the Western Wood Products Assn. of Portland, Oregon, in the month of June alone, output was 2.932 bbf, up 7.6% from 2.724 bbf in the previous month, and up 5.4% from 2.782 bbf in June 2015.
Western U.S. sawmills contributed 1.224 bbf to U.S. production in June, up 4.4% from 1.173 bbf in May 2016, and up 6.9% from 1.145 bbf in June 2015.
Sawmills in the South accounted for 1.573 bbf in June, up 10.2% from 1.427 bbf in the previous month, and up 4.2% from 1.510 bbf a year earlier.
Apparent U.S. softwood lumber consumption in the first half of 2016 was 24.950 bbf, an increase of 14.5% from 21,785 bbf in the first half of 2015. Consumption in June was 4.246 bbf – up 0.2% from 4.238 in May, and up 7.5% from 3.951 bbf in June 2015.
Canadian softwood lumber production/consumption
Canadian sawmills produced 14.308 bbf of softwood lumber in the first six months, an increase of 8.4% from 13.195 bbf a year earlier, reported WWPA.
Sawmills in British Columbia contributed 6.895 bbf to the six-month total, up 4.7% year-over-year from 6.587 bbf, while sawmills east of the Rockies produced 7.413 bbf – up 12.2% from 6.608 bbf in the first half of 2015.
In June, Canada’s softwood production was 2.434 bbf – up 2.3% from 2.378 bbf in May, and up 5.1% from 2.317 bbf in June 2015.
Sawmills in British Columbia accounted for 1.163 bbf of June’s total, up 1.5% from 1.145 bbf in the month before, and up 0.4% from 1.159 bbf in June 2015. Sawmills east of the Rockies produced 1.271 bbf in June, up 3.1% from 1,233 bbf in May 2016, and up 9.8% year-over-year from 1.158 bbf.
Apparent Canadian softwood lumber consumption was 4.476 bbf in the six-month period, up 0.4% from 4.460 bbf a year earlier. Consumption in June was 910 million board ft. (mmbf) – up 23.8% from 735 mmbf in May 2016, and 1.2% higher than the 900 mmbf produced in June 2015.
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