Global sawn timber market: Germany on the fast lane

In the first half year, Canadian exports to the US fell by 10% to 14.1 million m³. Nonetheless, it remains the world’s biggest bilateral softwood sawn timber trade flow. Canada also shipped less to China. Despite a decrease of 37%, which brings the total down to 1.7 million m³, this is still the third biggest export volume.

Russia sold 9 million m³ to China, which corresponds to a 7% decrease year on year. This trade flow still remained the second biggest in the world.

Due to the corona pandemic, Austrian exports to Italy decreased considerably in the first half year. A 19% decline to 1.1 million m³ was enough to make the fourth biggest trade flow in 2019 the sixth biggest this year.

According to Holzkurier’s analysis, Germany made up the most ground. Thanks to an increase of nearly 50% in shipments to the US, the country gained four places and is now in eighth place.

Swedish exports to China, however, saw an even more marked increase – in percentage terms as well as in absolute terms. This year, exports rose by 61% to 230,000 m³. This could be the result of a compensation of Finnish shipments. Due to strikes, Finland recorded a year-on-year decrease of 19% in exports to China in the first half year.