Softwood lumber

March 5, 2025

China’s lumber market in 2024: Falling softwood imports, rising hardwood demand

According to data from China’s Customs, 2024 lumber imports totaled 26.74 million cubic meters valued at US$6.86 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 4% in volume but an increase of 0.3% in value on 2023. The average price for imported lumber in 2024 was US$257 per cubic metre, a year-on-year increase of 4%.... Continue reading →

Fall in EU softwood lumber exports to the US

European softwood lumber exports to the USA experienced a downward trend in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. The total volume of exports from the European Union declined from approximately 2.39 million cubic meters in January-July 2023 to around 2.17 million cubic meters in January-July 2024, marking a decrease of 9.18%. In terms of value, the total export value fell from EUR 627.6 million in 2023 to EUR 587.1 million in 2024, a decline of 6%. Germany remained the largest supplier, exporting EUR 353 million worth of softwood lumber in 2023, but this dropped to EUR 300.8 million in 2024, reflecting a 15% decrease. Sweden also saw a slight decline in value, with exports decreasing from EUR 182.1 million to EUR 177.1 million, a 3% drop. The average export prices for softwood lumber also varied during this period. The European Union's average price... Continue reading →

July 5, 2021

India: Wood imports recover, despite surge in prices

As the real estate demand has gradually begun to resume in India, the demand for processed timber has begun to grow. 70% of the timber demand in India is consumed in the timber-making cluster at Gandhidham and Kandla. Because of the aggressive second Covid-wave in the country, the demand for processed timber, which is widely used in making furniture and wood-based panels, such as particleboard and plywood, and toys, declined by 25%, according to industry insiders. Navneet Gujjar, president of the Kandla Timber Association said: ''As markets have resumed, naturally, demand has begun to pick up. Even though we have increased the prices of timber due to the rise in freight costs, customers are willing to buy out more. We expect the sales to return to the level of March in one month''. At the moment, India is confronted with softwood prices that are now even higher than in December... Continue reading →

May 5, 2022

Consequences of the war in Ukraine on Poland’s timber industry

Poland's wood industry expects a shortage of wood raw materials mainly caused by the current war in Ukraine.  The Polish Chamber of Commerce of the Wood Industry (OIGPM) analyzed the situation of the wood market in the face of the war in Ukraine. The shortage of raw materials has been talked about for some time. European sanctions against Russia and Belarus European sanctions against trade with Russia and Belarus is expected to cause serious disruptions in supply chains and affect transport costs. According to official statistics, almost 10% of sawn softwood consumed in Europe in 2021 came from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. In the hardwood sector, oak products from Ukraine constituted a significant amount. In the case of Poland, the scale of the impact will be significantly greater - Belarus has for many years been the largest exporter to Poland of softwood lumber, and Ukraine... Continue reading →

October 1, 2024

Plummeting European exports of softwood logs & lumber to China this year

The European Union's softwood log and lumber exports to China have seen a significant decline during the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. This shift reflects not only the evolving demand patterns in the Chinese construction sector but also the broader European economic landscape affecting material supplies and prices... Continue reading →

December 21, 2018

Global trade of softwood lumber down in 2018

Global trade of softwood lumber from January through September 2018 was down 2.5% as compared to the same period last year. China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the MENA region reduced their imports, while the US and continental Europe have imported more lumber this year than in 2017. Lumber markets – North America After US lumber imports reached a 10-year high in the 2Q/18, import volumes fell 3.5% to 9.44 million m3 in the 3Q/18, which was still over ten percent more than in the same quarter in 2017. The trend over the past few years has been that the market share for overseas lumber supply to the US has increased at the expense of Canadian supply, as reported in the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The Canadian share has fallen from 95% of total imports in 2016 to 91% in 2018. Lumber prices in the US plummeted during the summer and fall, with major grades falling about 40%... Continue reading →

December 21, 2018

Global trade of softwood lumber down in 2018

Global trade of softwood lumber from January through September 2018 was down 2.5% as compared to the same period last year. China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the MENA region reduced their imports, while the US and continental Europe have imported more lumber this year than in 2017. Lumber markets – North America After US lumber imports reached a 10-year high in the 2Q/18, import volumes fell 3.5% to 9.44 million m3 in the 3Q/18, which was still over ten percent more than in the same quarter in 2017. The trend over the past few years has been that the market share for overseas lumber supply to the US has increased at the expense of Canadian supply, as reported in the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). The Canadian share has fallen from 95% of total imports in 2016 to 91% in 2018. Lumber prices in the US plummeted during the summer and fall, with major grades falling about 40%... Continue reading →

July 5, 2021

India: Wood imports recover, despite surge in prices

As the real estate demand has gradually begun to resume in India, the demand for processed timber has begun to grow. 70% of the timber demand in India is consumed in the timber-making cluster at Gandhidham and Kandla. Because of the aggressive second Covid-wave in the country, the demand for processed timber, which is widely used in making furniture and wood-based panels, such as particleboard and plywood, and toys, declined by 25%, according to industry insiders. Navneet Gujjar, president of the Kandla Timber Association said: ''As markets have resumed, naturally, demand has begun to pick up. Even though we have increased the prices of timber due to the rise in freight costs, customers are willing to buy out more. We expect the sales to return to the level of March in one month''. At the moment, India is confronted with softwood prices that are now even higher than in December... Continue reading →

March 5, 2025

China’s lumber market in 2024: Falling softwood imports, rising hardwood demand

According to data from China’s Customs, 2024 lumber imports totaled 26.74 million cubic meters valued at US$6.86 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 4% in volume but an increase of 0.3% in value on 2023. The average price for imported lumber in 2024 was US$257 per cubic metre, a year-on-year increase of 4%.... Continue reading →